True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers show

True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

Summary: Every week host Dan Zupansky will interview the true crime authors that have written about the most shocking killers of all time.

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 THE MEANING OF MALICE-John Leake | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 4315

Sandra Bridewell was a beguiling Dallas socialite in the seventies and early eighties. Her first husband was a prominent dentist who was found shot to death in their home in 1975. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide. Her second husband, Robert Bridewell, developed the Mansion on Turtle Creek—the first property of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts. Shortly after Mr. Bridewell died of lymphoma in 1982, his treating doctor’s wife was found shot to death in her car at Love Field a few hours after giving Sandra a ride to the airport. The medical examiner ruled the woman’s death a suicide. Three years later, Sandra’s third husband was found shot to death in his car in which he was last seen driving to meet her. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide and Sandra became the prime suspect but was never arrested. In 1987, Sandra was the subject of a D Magazine feature titled “The Black Widow” that suggested she had indeed murdered her third husband—as well as her first husband and the wife of the prominent cancer doctor who had treated Mr. Bridewell.Author John Leake grew up in Highland Park, down the street from Sandra Bridewell, and often visited her at her home to play with one of her children. He began his multi-year investigation in 2007, when Sandra was arrested for aggravated identity theft. Assuming the guise of a Christian missionary, she ingratiated herself with an elderly lady in Southport, North Carolina (near Cape Fear) to steal the unsuspecting victim’s identity and to plunder her financial assets. Leake visited Bridewell in pretrial detention and began documenting her life and wanderings. He then investigated the three gunshot deaths reported in the D Magazine feature with the assistance of former Los Angeles County criminalist Lynne Herold and former FBI forensic psychologist, Gregg McCrary.Dallas police photos of the first two death scenes display physical evidence that they were not suicides, but murders that were staged to look like suicides. These murders bear striking similarities to the murder of Sandra Bridewell’s third husband, and she was the last known contact of all three decedents. After serving two years in a federal penitentiary for aggravated identity theft, she was released in 2010 and now roams free. THE MEANING OF MALICE: On The Trail of the Black Widow of Highland Park-John Leake

 WOMEN WHO MURDER-Mitzi Szereto | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3579

From historical accounts to modern cases, explore the captivating psychology behind these killer women, unraveling their motives and unveiling the dark complexities of human behavior.The fair sex. We’ve often heard this clichéd expression being used to refer to women. Although it has become increasingly outdated, the mindset still exists that women are the gentle and nurturing sex. When it comes to murder, that notion gets turned on its head. And this isn’t a recent phenomenon; we can find plenty of female killers going back in history. In fact, some of the world’s most notorious serial killers have been women. These female killers give their male counterparts a run for their money, and deserve to be counted among the most famous serial killers. Unearth the disturbing histories of notorious women. From the chilling accounts of infamous black widow murders to the spine-tingling narratives of women who shocked the world with their sinister deeds, this anthology delves deep into the minds of these deadly women. Spanning eras and continents, these tales of true crime offer a chilling exploration of the darkest corners of human nature. WOMEN WHO MURDER: An International Collection of Deadly True Crime Tales-Mitzi Szereto

 THE BERMAN MURDERS-Doug Kari | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 4148

At daybreak on January 6, 1986, a couple on a camping trip in the Mojave Desert set out for a stroll and never returned. The local sheriff’s office eventually discovered that Barry and Louise Berman had been murdered. As years passed and the double homicide remained unsolved, the Berman case spawned speculation and conjecture. Despite extensive investigation by local and federal authorities, to date there’s never been an arrest made in the case – let alone a conviction. But this doesn’t mean the crime is unsolvable. After years of investigation, research, and interviews, Kari was able to link the Berman murders to a Cambodian sex crimes and trafficking case involving a former Marine. This is the first book to tell the full story of the Berman murders and uncover the likely suspect. THE BERMAN MURDERS: Unravelling the Mojave Desert's Most Mysterious Unsolved Crime-Doug KariCookUnity.com/Murder

 FILTHY MURDERS OF YE OLDE ROCHESTER-Michael Benson | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3370

In the late 1800's in Rochester, New York, Monroe County—there were 5 sensational murders. The first story is about the home invasion murder of a young wife and mother. Her body was found in the cellar, a flour sack tied tightly around her neck, and her skirt hiked up. At first, of course, the husband is arrested amid rumors he and his wife are swingers. The husband's supporters protest he couldn't be the killer—it must have been a transient. The man is released in favor of a preferable suspect, a damaged young tramp who'd been floating around the neighborhood looking for food.In the second story a woman's husband's head was almost severed, and she was told he had borrowed her former husband's very sharp razor and cut his own throat in a suicide. In another story, the resort town of Charlotte, where the rich went to play along the crystal clear waters of Lake Ontario. At night it was where the pick pockets and the thugs went to fleece drunks who still had money in their pockets. After our victim checks into a hotel for the night complaining he'd been mugged, he dies overnight from brain swelling. But who bonked him on the head? The answer seems to come the next day when a man is going around trying to sell the victim's watch. In another story, brother kills brother. The book spans the last years of the gallows in Monroe County, and the first of the new-fangled electric chair. FILTHY MURDERS OF YE OLDE ROCHESTER: Monroe County Homicide in the era of Jack The Ripper-Michael BensonRitual.com/murder

 ZENITH MAN-McCracken Poston Jr. | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 4038

Was this small-town TV repair man “a harmless eccentric or a bizarre killer” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). For the first time, Alvin Ridley’s own defense attorney reveals the inside story of his case and trial in an extraordinary tale of friendship and an idealistic young attorney’s quest to clear his client’s name—and, in the process, rebuild his own life.In October 1997, the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia was shaken by reports of a murder in its midst. A dead woman was found in Alvin Ridley’s house—and even more shockingly, she was the wife no one knew he had.McCracken Poston had been a state representative before he lost his bid for U.S. Congress and returned to his law career. Alvin Ridley was a local character who once sold and serviced Zenith televisions. Though reclusive and an outsider, the “Zenith Man,” as Poston knew him, hardly seemed capable of murder.Alvin was a difficult client, storing evidence in a cockroach-infested suitcase, unwilling to reveal key facts to his defender. Gradually, Poston pieced together the full story behind Virginia and Alvin’s curious marriage and her cause of death—which was completely overlooked by law enforcement. Calling on medical experts, testimony from Alvin himself, and a wealth of surprising evidence gleaned from Alvin’s junk-strewn house, Poston presented a groundbreaking defense that allowed Alvin to return to his peculiar lifestyle, a free man.Years after his trial, Alvin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a revelation that sheds light on much of his lifelong personal battle—and shows how easily those who don’t fit societal norms can be castigated and misunderstood. Part true crime, part courtroom drama, and full of local color, Zenith Man is also the moving story of an unexpected friendship between two very different men that changed—and perhaps saved—the lives of both. ZENITH MAN: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom-McCracken Poston Jr.

 A MURDER IN HOLLYWOOD-Casey Sherman | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3431

From the outside, Hollywood starlet Lana Turner seemed to have it all―a thriving film career, a beautiful daughter, and the kind of fame and fortune that most people could only dream of. But when the famous femme fatale began dating mobster Johnny Stompanato, thug for the infamous west coast mob boss Mickey Cohen, her personal life became violent and unpredictable. Lana's teenage daughter, Cheryl, watched her beloved mother's life deteriorate as Stompanato's intense jealousy took over. Eventually, the physical and emotional abuse became too much to bear, and Lana attempted to break it off with Johnny―with disastrous consequences. The details of what happened that fateful night remain foggy, but it ended in a series of frantic phone calls and Stompanato dead on Lana's bedroom floor, with Cheryl claiming to have plunged a knife into his abdomen in an attempt to protect her mother. The subsequent murder trial made for the biggest headlines of the year, its drama eclipsing every Hollywood movie.New York Times bestselling author Casey Sherman pulls back Tinseltown's velvet curtain to reveal the dark underbelly of celebrity, rife with toxic masculinity and casual violence against women, and tells the story of Lana Turner and her daughter, who finally stood up to the abuse that plagued their family for years. A Murder in Hollywood transports us back to the golden age of film and illuminates one of the 20th century's most notorious true crime tales. A MURDER IN HOLLYWOOD: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime-Casey Sherman

 THE EDGE OF DOUBT-David Miraldi | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3127

In the tight-knit community of Lorain, Ohio, a whirlwind of horror swept through as unsettling allegations surfaced - a trusted bus driver and her alleged companion accused of shattering the innocence of preschoolers in the respected Head Start program. The verdict? Life-long prison sentences that would cast a shadow over a community, and initiate an untiring quest for truth.'The Edge of Doubt' is a meticulously researched true crime narrative that delves into the reverberations of a sensational trial. This gripping tale is anchored in three decades of unwavering claims of innocence. As the pages turn, you'll find yourself torn between the scales of justice and the resilience of the human spirit.In a world that is quick to judge, 'The Edge of Doubt' compels you to lend an ear to the whispers of truth. This is your invitation to dive into a powerful account that will challenge your assumptions and unveil the complexities of human nature. Read it, and prepare to see the world with new eyes. THE EDGE OF DOUBT: The Trial of Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen-David MiraldiCookUnity.com/murder

 STARKWEATHER-Harry MacLean | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3271

On January 21, 1958, nineteen-year-old Charles Starkweather changed the course of crime in the United States when he murdered the parents and sister of his fourteen-year-old girlfriend (and possible accomplice), Caril Ann Fugate, in a house on the edge of Lincoln, Nebraska. They then drove to the nearby town of Bennet, where a farmer was robbed and killed. When Starkweather’s car broke down, the teenagers who stopped to help were murdered and jammed into a storm cellar. By the time the dust settled, ten innocent people were dead and the city of Lincoln was in a state of terror. Schools closed. Men with rifles perched on the roofs of their houses. The National Guard patrolled the street. If there is a cultural version of PTSD, the town suffered from it.Starkweather and Fugate’s capture and arrest, and the resulting trials about the killing spree, received worldwide coverage. The event would serve as the inspiration for the movie Natural Born Killers and Springsteen’s iconic album Nebraska. Today, the story has dropped far from the national consciousness. With new material, new reporting, and new conclusions about the possible guilt or innocence of Fugate, the tale is ripe for an updated and definitive retelling. In Starkweather, bestselling author Harry N. MacLean tells the story of this shocking event and its lasting impact, a crime spree that struck deep into the heart of the heartland. STARKWEATHER: The Untold Story of the Killing Spree that Changed America-Harry N. MacLeanRitual.com/murder

 THE COLONIAL PARKWAY SERIAL KILLINGS and ALAN WADE WILMER SR.-Blaine Pardoe | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3241

In their book, A Special Kind of Evil: The Colonial Parkway Serial Killings, authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria Hester wrote about Alan Wade Wilmer, Sr., who was the prime suspect in the 1988 disappearance and murders of Richard Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey. He was under police surveillance and fit the profile the F.B.I. had developed. An expert polygrapher administered a polygraph exam to Wilmer—and he passed. As a result he was cleared as a suspect.On January 8th, 2024, the Virginia State Police announced that through DNA, Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., who died in 2017, has been identified as the killer of David Knobling and Robin Edwards, who are extensively written about in A Special Kind of Evil, and for the killing of a nearby Hampton, Virginia woman in 1989, Teresa Lynn Howell.Blaine Pardoe joins me to discuss the latest developments in the Colonial Parkway serial killings; Alan Wade Wilmer Sr.; the F.B.I. agent who zeroed in on Wilmer—and what's next in the on-going Colonial Parkway murder investigation. A SPECIAL KIND OF EVIL: The Colonial Parkway Serial Killings and Alan Wade Wilmer Sr.—Blaine Pardoe

 MISTRESS OF LIFE AND DEATH-Susan J. Eischeid | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3524

By the time of her execution at thirty-six, Maria Mandl had achieved the highest rank possible for a woman in the Third Reich. As Head Overseer of the women’s camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, she was personally responsible for the murders of thousands, and for the torture and suffering of countless more.In this riveting biography, Susan J. Eischeid explores how Maria Mandl, regarded locally as “a nice girl from a good family,” came to embody the very worst of humanity. Born in 1912 in the scenic Austrian village of Münzkirchen, Maria enjoyed a happy childhood with loving parents—who later watched in anguish as their grown daughter rose through the Nazi system.Mandl’s life mirrors the period in which she lived: turbulent, violent, and suffused with paradoxes. At Auschwitz-Birkenau, she founded the notable women’s orchestra and “adopted” several children from the transports—only to lead them to the gas chambers when her interest waned. After the war, Maria was arrested for crimes against humanity. Following a public trial attended by the international press, she was hanged in 1948. For two decades, Eischeid has excavated the details of Mandl’s life story, drawing on archival testimonies, speaking to dozens of witnesses, and spending time with Mandl’s community of friends and neighbors who shared their memories as well as those handed down in their families. The result is a chilling and complex exploration of how easily an ordinary citizen chose the path of evil in a climate of hate and fear. MISTRESS OF LIFE AND DEATH: The Dark Journey of Maria Mandl, the Head Overseer of Auschwitz-Birkenau

 WRECKING CREW-John Ferak | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3310

In 2016-17, while working for the USA TODAY NETWORK's Wisconsin Investigative Team, author John Ferak wrote dozens of articles examining the murder case against Steven Avery, who had already beaten one wrongful conviction only to be charged again with the murder of Teresa Halbach in 2005. This case captured global attention through the Netflix documentary "Making A Murderer."In this anniversary edition of WRECKING CREW: Demolishing the Case Against Steven Avery, Ferak not only lays out in meticulous detail the post-conviction strategy of Kathleen Zellner, the high-profile, high-octane lawyer fighting to free Avery but also includes a new "Five Years Later" section. This update provides fresh insights and developments in Avery's ongoing legal battle.Additionally, this special edition features an exclusive epilogue: a November 2023 interview with Steven Avery. For this book, Zellner, arguably America's most successful wrongful conviction attorney, granted Ferak unprecedented access to the exhaustive pro bono efforts she and her small suburban Chicago law firm have invested in a man she believes to be wrongfully ensnared by Manitowoc County's unscrupulous justice system. This anniversary edition offers new revelations and a comprehensive look at a case that continues to stir public debate and demand justice. WRECKING CREW: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery-John Ferak

 MONSTER MIRROR-Dr. Micheal Caparrelli | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3098

Chances are, you’ve already met the Son of Sam in movies, documentaries, books, etc. May I introduce you to David, a fellow human being with familiar vulnerabilities? The monster you met in print collides with the man I met in person. Irrefutably, the precious lives he ended scream from the graves about his barbarism. Yet, my 100 hours, 34 sessions with him will open your eyes to a guy who resembles your brother or friend.Here’s David, a lifer at Shawangunk Correctional, who still scratches his head about what “possessed” him decades ago in a city that has mythologized his crimes ever since. May I warn you that when you meet David, you will not look into the eyes of a monster, but a mirror. I present to you: Monster Mirror: 100 Hours With David Berkowitz, Once Known as Son of Sam-Dr. Michael CaparrelliRitual.com/Murder

 MURDERABILIA-Harold Schechter | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2809

From veteran true crime master Harold Schechter comes a unique look into the history of crime told through the dark objects left behind. The false teeth of a female serial killer from 1908, the cut-and-paste confession of the Black Dahlia killer, the newly cracked cipher of the Zodiac killer, the shotgun used in the Clutter family murders, which were made famous by Truman Capote's true crime classic In Cold Blood—these are more than simple artifacts that once belonged to notorious murderers. They are objects of fascination to the legion of true crime obsessives around the world. And not merely for fleeting dark thrills, but because they represent a way to better understand those who we typically label monsters in lieu of learning how they actually became one.In Murderabilia, veteran true crime writer Harold Schechter presents 100 murder-related artifacts spanning two centuries (1808–2014), with accompanying stories of various lengths. A visual and literary journey, it presents a history unlike any previously told in the true crime genre, one that speaks to the dark fascination of true crime fans while also presenting a larger historical timeline of how and why we continue to be captivated by the most sensational crimes and killers among us. MURDERABILIA: A History of Crime in 100 Objects-Harold SchechterRitual.com/murder

 KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS-Billy Jensen | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3477

Best-selling author, cohost of the hit podcast The Murder Squad, and true-crime investigative journalist Billy Jensen goes to Columbus, Ohio, where he examines the unsolved cases of 18 dead and missing women whom he suspects were the victims of serial killers on the loose and operating under cover of the opioid epidemic in America's heartland.In Chase Darkness with Me, listeners learned Billy Jensen's journalist origin story, his struggles, his call to adventure, and his first successes in solving murders.In Killers Amidst Killers, listeners will ride shotgun with Jensen as he takes on serial killers who are walking among us and planning their next moves in real time. The facts are not in old police reports and faded photos. They unfold before our ears.Our story begins in 2017, when two young women, best friends Danielle and Lindsey, go missing within weeks of each other, and their bodies are found soon thereafter.As Jensen investigates Danielle and Lindsey's cases, he comes across other missing and murdered women, and before long, he uncovers 18 of them. All unsolved. And no one was talking about it.These are not women who were raised in the street. They got hooked on pills. The pills were taken away. They get hooked on heroin. And when the money was gone, they had to sell themselves. It all happens very quick.Through his investigations and the help of experts, Jensen identifies serial killers in Cleveland and Columbus. Why there? Because it's easy. Sharks go where the swimmers are. Serial killers go where the easy prey are–ground zero of the opioid epidemic. The heart of America.Jensen hunts these predators to bring peace to the victims' suffering families while putting a spotlight on a system that is leaving hundreds of thousands of bodies in its wake. KILLERS AMIDST KILLERS: Hunting Serial Killers Operating Under the Cloak of America's Opioid Epidemic-Billy Jensen

 Listen Now-Dr. Death: Bad Magic | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 354

From Wondery, and hosted by Laura Beil - The new season of Dr. Death, BAD MAGIC is a story of miraculous cures, magic and murder. When a charismatic young doctor announces revolutionary treatments for cancer and HIV, patients from around the world turn to him for their last chance. As medical experts praise Serhat Gumrukcu’s genius, the company he co-founded rockets in value to over half a billion dollars. But when a team of researchers makes a startling discovery, they begin to suspect the brilliant doctor is hiding a secret. You can listen to Dr. Death: Bad Magic exclusively and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.https://wondery.app.link/DRDS4-trumrd

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