True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

"Hunting a Psychopath" is a fascinating first hand account of the crimes of California's East Area Rapist Original Night Stalker couples killer. Detective Shelby was the first Sacramento detective to make a connection between a series of rapes that began in the middle class communities of East Sacramento in the late 1970's. His book details the efforts to apprehend this psychopath before he transformed into a southern California serial killer who preyed upon middle class couples through a terrifying series of home invasion murders. I highly recommend this book for readers of true crime. This particular series of crimes remains unsolved, leaving many questions about a violent predator who has been labeled one of the most brazen criminals and one of the least publicized. Detective Shelby's book is fast paced and full of investigation details.. . HUNTING A PSYCHOPATH-The East Area Rapist-Original Night Stalker Investigation-Richard Shelby

Critically acclaimed author Kathryn Casey delivers a riveting account of the brutal murders of young women in the I-45/Texas Killing FieldsOver a three-decade span, more than twenty women—many teenagers—died mysteriously in the small towns bordering Interstate 45, a fifty-mile stretch of highway running from Houston to Galveston. The victims were strangled, shot, or savagely beaten. Six met their demise in pairs. They had one thing in common: being in the wrong place at the wrong time.The day she vanished, Colette Wilson waited for her mother after band practice. Best friends Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson loved to surf and were last seen hitchhiking. Laura Kate Smither dreamed of becoming a ballerina and disappeared just weeks before her thirteenth birthday.In this harrowing true crime exposition, award-winning journalist Kathryn Casey tracks these tragic cases, investigates the evidence, interviews the suspects, and pulls back the cloak of secrecy in search of elusive answers. DELIVER US-Three Decades of Murder and Redemption in the Infamous 1-45/Texas Killing Fields-Kathryn Casey

From 1895 to 1937, 93 men were hanged at California's Folsom State Prison, and this book is the first to tell all of their stories, recounting long-forgotten tales of murder and swift justice, or sometimes, swift injustice that hanged an innocent man. Based on a treasury of historical information that has been hidden from the public for nearly 70 years, the full stories of these 93 executed men are presented in this collection including their origins, their crimes, the investigations that brought them to justice, their trials, and their deaths at the gallows. This wealth of previously unpublished historical detail gives a vivid view of the sociology of early 20th-century crime and of the resulting prison life. Readers take a trip back in time to the hard-boiled early 20th-century California that inspired the novels of Dashiell Hammett and countless other crime writers. Illustrated throughout with authentic and haunting prison photographs of each of the condemned men, the crimes and punishments of a vanished era are brought into a sharp and realistic light. Folsom's 93: The Life and Crimes of Folsom Prison's Executed Men-April Moore

The True Story of the World’s Premiere Forensic recreates the genesis of NecroSearch International as a small eclectic group of scientists and law enforcement who volunteered their services to help locate the clandestine graves of murder victims and recover the remains and evidence to assist with the apprehension and conviction of the killers. Known early on as “The Pig People” because of their experiments in locating graves using the carcasses of pigs (because of their similarities to human bodies), NecroSearch has evolved and expanded into one of the most respected forensic investigation teams in the world. New York Times bestselling author Steve Jackson, the author of BOGEYMAN and MONSTER, vividly tells the story of this incredible group and recounts some of their most memorable early cases that taken separately would make great true crime books. Following his participation in a NecroSearch expedition to Russia looking for the remains of a Russian noble in 2013, Jackson was made an honorary member of NecroSearch International in November 2014. NO STONE UNTURNED-Steve Jackson

Susan Berman grew up in Las Vegas luxury as the daughter of Davie Berman, casino mogul and notorious mafia leader. After her father died she learned about his mob connections. Susan then dedicated her life to learning about Vegas and its underworld chiefs. Her life took a bizarre turn in l982 when Kathie Durst—the wife of her good friend, Robert Durst, mysteriously disappeared. Durst was a prime suspect but the case was never solved. After the Kathie Durst case was reopened, the DA was about to question Susan Berman about what she knew regarding a phone call Kathie supposedly made to her medical school dean saying she was sick and wouldn’t be at school. The call was placed the day after she had vanished. Soon after the Kathie Durst case was reopened, Susan Berman was found dead, shot in the back of head. No forced entry, no robbery, nothing missing from her home.The book covers what led to Durst’s capture. Police records placed him in California at the time of his good friend Susan Berman’s murder. HBO filmmakers discovered a letter unknown before, written by Durst to Susan, a dead-on match to the cadaver letter police say the killer sent before Susan’s body was discovered. MURDER OF A MAFIA DAUGHTER: The Story Behind The Suspicions Robert Durst Murdered Susan Berman-Cathy ScottNATUREBOX-Snack Smarter-Start a Free Trial-For Delicious Details: http://www.naturebox.com/offer/free/sampler/?utm_source=truemurder&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=2014_podcast&afid=truemurder

November 18, 1978, was a tragically unprecedented day in U.S. history that will forever be woven into the fabric of this country. It is the day that leader of Peoples Temple (PT), James Warren Jones, ordered the assassination of U.S. Congressman Leo J. Ryan and others at the Port Kaituma airstrip in South America, then led his congregation on what Guyana's police chief, Skip Roberts, testified was a "mass suicide." Decades later, however, the depth of this story is still unknown, and many scholars and former members who have continued their exploration of the incidents have found that there is still plenty of evidence as well as plenty of sinister connections that contradict the official version of this story. Jonestown: "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" is the chronological story of the rise and fall of Peoples Temple and its leader Jim Jones-from his early years in Indianapolis and California, to the tragic ending in the jungle of South America that claimed the lives of 918 Americans. Jonestown: "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" comprehensively details the many links that Jones and his compound had with the CIA and their MKULTRA experiments. Through a comprehensive analysis of Jones' life, Peoples Temple, and the investigation and the aftermath of the mass murder/suicides; this book is designed to be the quintessential marking piece that will re-introduce this story to society and serve as a reminder of the infamous mantra that hung in the pavilion in Jonestown: "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it." JONESTOWN: DON'T DRINK THE KOOLAID-The Complete Story Behind the Mysterious Jim Jones and His Exodus to Guyana-Will Savive

Bluebeard is the story documenting the history behind the reign of terror imposed on Europe by Gilles de Rais, the infamous Bluebeard. The author brings the reader into the castles, pageants, battles and dungeons of medieval Europe to explore the enigma that was the life of the man, who fought bravely and valiantly alongside Joan of Arc in pursuit of a higher cause then descended into the dark depths of sexual exploitation of children which made him an historical monster. But what is it that causes a man to develop to being such a person? The author focuses on the man s life and the foundation set for his mental and intellectual development, then explores his life subsequent to the sword clashing, blood-letting battles alongside Joan of Arc. She raises questions, presents hypotheses from genetic disposition to PTSD to explain the demonic action of the man. It is a book that gives the reader a breath-taking experience and presents thought-provoking possibilities as to why a man who led a life of valor as a brave warrior could descend into the dark depths of depravity. BLUEBEARD-Brave Warrior, Brutal Psychopath-Valerie OgdenNATUREBOX-Snack Smarter-Start a Free Trial-For Delicious Details: http://www.naturebox.com/offer/free/sampler/?utm_source=truemurder&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=2014_podcast&afid=truemurder

1957. Sycamore, Illinois. Christmas was three weeks away, and seven-year-old Maria Ridulph went out to play. Soon after, a figure emerged out of the falling snow. He was very friendly. Minutes later, Maria vanished, leaving behind an abandoned doll and footsteps in the snow.In April, a spring thaw gave up Maria’s body in a nearby wooded area. The case attracted national attention, including that of the FBI and President Eisenhower. In all, seventy-four men and three women fell under suspicion. But no one was ever charged with the crime.Incredibly, fifty-five years later, the coldest case in the history of American jurisprudence would be reopened. It happened after a seventy-four-year-old former neighbor of the Ridulphs named Eileen Tessier made a stunning deathbed confession to her family about a dark past, and a darker secret they knew nothing about. Two families would be joined by despair and retribution, and in an astounding turn of events, Maria Ridulph’s killer would finally be brought to justice. FOOTSTEPS IN THE SNOW-One Shocking Crime. Two Shattered Families. And the Coldest Case in U.S. History-Charles Lachman

Misfit Jeremiah Rodgers, 21, and racist devil worshipper Jonathan Lawrence, 23, were serving time for petty crimes when they met in a Florida penal system mental hospital. A friendship grew from their shared lust for sadistic brutality, and once released, they teamed up to hunt human prey. In March, 1998, in Pensacola, Florida, while quietly watching TV, Leighton Smitherman was shot in the back by assailants hiding outside his home. Amazingly, he survived, not knowing that he'd been chosen at random by would-be-thrill-killers. Their next target wasn't so lucky.Justin Livingston, 20, died from multiple stab wounds - some more than six inches deep. The horror peaked on 7 May 1999, when Rodgers went on a 'date' with pretty Jennifer Robinson, 18, with Lawrence tagging along. The young woman was drugged and assaulted first by Rodgers, then Lawrence, before Rodgers shot her execution-style. But the worse was yet to come, an unspeakable act of mutilation that followed in the bloody footsteps of one of the most infamous serial killers of our time...FLESH COLLECTORS-Cannibalism and Further Depravity on the Redneck Riviera-Fred RosenNATUREBOX-Snack Smarter-Start Free Trial-For Delicious Details: http://www.naturebox.com/offer/free/sampler/?utm_source=truemurder&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=2014_podcast&afid=truemurder

Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of London’s East End from August through November of 1888 in what is dubbed the ‘Autumn of Terror’. However, the grisly ripping of Polly Nichols on August 31st was not the first unsolved murder of the year. The April murder of Emma Smith and the August murder of Martha Tabram both occurred on bank holidays. They baffled the police and press alike and were assumed by the original investigators to have been the first murders in the series. Where they correct? In this provocative work of literary archeology, author Tom Wescott places these early murders in their proper historical context and digs to unearth new evidence and hard facts not seen in over 125 years. The Bank Holiday Murders is the only book of its kind. It eschews the tired approach of unsatisfying ‘final solutions’ in favor of solid research, logical reasoning and new information. The clues followed are not drawn from imagination but from the actual police reports and press accounts of the time. The questions asked by Wescott are ones first suggested by the original investigators but lost to time until now. The answers provided are compelling and sometimes explosive. Among the revelations are: • New information linking the murders of Smith & Tabram to the same killer(s). • Proof that the police did not believe key witnesses in either case. • Proof that at least one of these witnesses was working with the murderer. • New evidence connecting many of the victims that may lead to their actual slayers. • Information on Emily Horsnell, the ACTUAL first Whitechapel murder victim. • The hidden truth of ‘Leather Apron’ and its role in unraveling the Ripper mystery. • Proof of a corrupt police sergeant who thwarted the investigation. Was he protecting the Ripper? THE BANK HOLIDAY MURDERS: The True Story of the First Whitechapel Murders-Tom Wescott.

Edwards, a misguided boy, vowed to be the best criminal ever. He killed scores and scores of people of all ages over a sixty-six-year period, and was never caught (for murder). Included are some of the most famous murder cases in the past century. IT'S ME-EDWARD WAYNE EDWARDS-The Serial killer You never Heard Of-John A. Cameron    

Dr. Katherine Ramsland wades through the heavy fog surrounding the“Moors Murders”: a series of high-profile child killings committed by Scottish sadist Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. Kim Cresswell churns the stomach with her unbelievable account of the atrocities committed by Fred and Rosemary West  Carol Anne Davis looks at one of the greatest abuses of police power in English history: the entrapment of Colin Stagg for the 1992 ripper-style murder of blonde beauty Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common. Meanwhile, the real killer, Robert Napper, was already confined to Broadmoor asylum for the 1993 evisceration murder of Samantha Bisset and the rape and deadly suffocation of her infant daughter. To top it all off, Edgar-Award winning author Burl Barer makes his SKQ debut, lending his highly original voice to an intriguing re-examination of the murders ascribed to “Yorkshire Ripper” Peter Sutcliffe, and the phenomenon of homicidal fame.Robert J. Hoshowsky, Aaron Elliott, and Kim Cresswell also look at three comparably notorious historical London slayers in their pieces on creepy old John Christie, “Acid Bath Vampire” John George Haigh, and Jack the Ripper suspect and bride poisoner George Smith. SERIAL KILLER QUARTERLY-Lee Mellor 

In Pretty Little Killers, journalist Daleen Berry and investigator Geoffrey Fuller expand upon their New York Times bestselling ebook The Savage Murder of Skylar Neese to give you even more information behind one of the most horrific and shocking murders of our time. Including over 100 pages of new material, Pretty Little Killers shares the latest theories and answers the questions that have left many people baffled.After killer Shelia Eddy pled guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison and Rachel Shoaf was sentenced to thirty years for second-degree murder, family, friends, investigators, and other key sources reveal the facts you would have learned if the case had gone to trial.Including specific details drawn from Rachel’s confession, Pretty Little Killers looks at the crime through the eyes of the victim and killers, providing intimate testimony from the pages of Rachel’s personal journal, Skylar’s diary and school papers, and court records.Berry and Fuller examine all this, including previously unreported details about Rachel and Shelia’s rumored lesbian relationship and explain why more than one investigator believes Skylar’s murder was a thrill kill.Most important, Pretty Little Killers provides a satisfying answer to Skylar’s final question: “Why?” PRETTY LITTLE KILLERS-The Truth Behind the Savage Murder of Skylar Neese-Daleen Berry    

     Until Vito Rizzuto went to prison in 2006 for his role in a decades-old Brooklyn triple murder, he ruled the Port of Montreal, the northern gateway to the major American drug markets. A master diplomat, he won the respect of rival mafia clans, bikers and street gangs, and criminal business thrived on his turf. His family prospered and his empire grew--until one of North America's true Teflon dons finally lost his veneer. As he watched helplessly from his Colorado prison, the murders of his son and father made international headlines; the killings of his lieutenants and friends filled the pages of Canadian news; and the influence of the 'Ndrangheta, the Calabrian Mafia, spread across Montreal faster than the blood of Rizzuto's crime family. In 2012, Vito Rizzuto emerged from prison, a 66-year-old man who could carefully rebuild his criminal empire or seek bloody revenge and damn the consequences. From the events leading to his imprisonment to his shocking death in December 2013, Business or Blood is the final chapter of Vito's story. BUSINESS OR BLOOD-Mafia Boss Vito Rizzuto's Last War-Peter Edwards     

In 2003, he began to appear in gay ographic movies, occasionally working as a dancer and escort. In 2005 he appeared as a pin-up model in an issue of Toronto's Fab magazine. In 2007, he was an unsuccessful competitor in a reality series CoverGuy and underwent numerous cosmetic surgeries, auditioning for a reality show Plastic Makes Perfect 2 in 2008 and set up at least 70 Facebook pages and 20 websites under various aliases. On May 25, 2012, an 11-minute video titled 1 Lunatic 1 Ice Pick was uploaded to a gore site, depicting a naked male tied to a bed frame being repeatedly stabbed with an ice pick and a knife, then dismembered, followed by acts of necrophilia and cannibalism. The perpetrator uses a knife and fork to cut off some of the flesh and gets a dog to chew on the body. On May 29, a janitor discovered the decomposing torso of Chinese foreign student Lin Jun inside a suitcase, in the alley behind an apartment building in Montreal. A package containing a foot was delivered to the national headquarters of the Conservative party, another containing a hand was addressed to the Liberal party. Packages containing severed limbs were later sent to elementary schools. Magnotta fled Canada, becoming the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and prompting an international manhunt. He was apprehended June 4, at an Internet cafe in Berlin reading news about himself. Materials promoting the video appeared online 10 days before the murder. The high profile trial in Montreal lasted 10 weeks. Luka Rocco Magnotta pleaded Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity. First Degree Murder or Insanity? PSYCHO KILLER SUPERSTAR-The Luka Magnotta Debacle-Dan Zupansky.