Once Upon A Crime | True Crime

In our new series, “StepMonsters,” I’ll share stories of bad stepparents whose actions became true crime news.  In this first episode I'll share the story of a young boy who went missing and was found in a very unlikely place.  Was he the victim of abuse as he would claim and, if so, who was the person most responsible - his stepmother, his own father or both?   Resources: "Charlie Bothuell V, Boy Found in Basement, Says His Home was a 'Terrible Place'", by Tara Fowler for People Magazine, April 29, 2015. "Dad of Boy Found in Basement Wants Trial" by Holly Fournier for The Detroit News, January 5, 2016.  Audio Clip: "Nancy Grace tells dad missing son found alive", retrieved from HLN on YouTube, https://youtu.be/TAQTR6_FTyI Links: Once Upon a Crime's YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2UDxhEG Patreon: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime: https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/lets-taco-bout-true-crime

A gruesome crime would become a media sensation in Canada in 1946 when a beautiful young woman was accused of the grisly murder.  This is the case of the infamous Evelyn Dick and the Torso Murder of 1946. Link to listen to the song "Evelyn Dick" by The Forgotten Rebels - https://youtu.be/OAkxFSM_rNs  Resources: The Torso Murder by Brian Vallee published by Key Porter Books, Canada, 2001.  Evelyn Dick on Murderpedia.org - http://murderpedia.org/female.D/d/dick-evelyn.htm Links:  To become a Patreon member go to:  www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime 

In 1991, Kurt Cobain released a song on the album Nevermind. Titled "Polly" the song was inspired by a kidnapping and rape of a young girl in Tacoma, Washington.  This is the story of that crime. Listen to "Polly" by Nirvana here: https://youtu.be/3H0NHHKBemg Resources: "Story Behind the Song - Polly" by Hayley Selfridge on YouTube "Nirvana's Darkest Song" by The Nerdwriter on YouTube "Police suspect rapist in serial killings", Tri-City Herald, June 19, 1987. Links to episodes mentioned:  The Day the Music Died: Kurt Cobain - Episode #10 -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-010-the-day-the-music-died-kurt-cobain/id1122650415?i=1000382663745 True Crime Game Changers: Polly Klaas - Episode #21 -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-021-true-crime-game-changers-polly-klaas/id1122650415?i=1000382668498

A young girl is brutally murdered in New York's Central Park in 1986. Her killer, Robert Chambers, would be dubbed "The Preppy Killer" in the press and his victim's name would be dragged through the mud. This is the real story of "The Preppy Murder" you haven't heard before.   Listen to "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" by The Killers here: https://youtu.be/1Bxx_h4vl8Y Resources: "East Side Story" by Michael Stone for New York Magazine, June 27, 2008. "Looking Back at the Preppy Killer Case, More Than 30 Years Later" by Elizabeth Angell for Town and Country Magazine, November 12, 2019. 

The mysterious death of a young girl inspires Jon Bon Jovi to record a song dedicated to her.  This is the case of Katherine Korzilius.  Resources: Unsolved Mysteries, Season 10: Episode 7 - https://unsolved.com/gallery/katherine-korzilius/ "Family Searches for Answers, Peace" by Hank Stuever for Austin American-Statesman, Aug 7, 1997.  "Jon Bon Jovi Busy with Singing, Newfound Acting Career" by Winnie Bonelli for The Herald-New, Passaic, New Jersey, June 20, 1997.  Links: Song: "August 7th, 4:15" by Jon Bon Jovi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoABwDxs9q8  CrimeCon tickets: www.crimecon.com - Use discount code ONCEUPON2020 for 10% off your registration Music Credits: Original theme music by http://AaronGoldberg.Bandcamp.com Other music from Freesound.org - Licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License. 

In Nebraska, in 1958, a high school junior holds animosity towards his mother and takes deadly revenge.  He is caught and imprisoned and, years later, disappears for decades.  Where is Leslie Arnold today?  Resources "Whatever Happened to Leslie Arnold, the Boy who Murdered his Parents?" by John William Tuohy,  www.mywriterssite.blogspot.com  "The Mystery of Leslie Arnold" by Henry Cordes for The Omaha World-Herald, Sept 13, 2017.  Music Credits: Original theme music by http://AaronGoldberg.Bandcamp.com Other music:  Licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

In Kansas in 1958, an 18-year-old kills both of his parents and his only sibling. Was it a case of greed, mental illness, or was Andrews just a "bad seed"?   #parricide #InColdBlood #TheBrothersKaramazov #deathrow #familyannihilators  Resources: "Lowell Lee Andrews Was 'The Nicest Boy' in Wolcott by Beth Elias for Ranker.com  "Nicest boy in Wolcott" by David J. Krajicek for NYDailyNews.com, Feb. 21, 2010 "State vs. Andrews", Appeal Record, State of Kansas, Dec. 10, 1960. Retrieved on Justia.com.  In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Modern Library, Reprint Edition, 2013.  Music Credits: Original theme music by http://AaronGoldberg.Bandcamp.com Music from https://filmmusic.io - "March of the Mind" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Other music:  https://freesound.org/s/321070/  ,  https://freesound.org/s/243435/  Licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

In 1975, a rebellious teen enlists her boyfriend to kill her parents in a small, Northern California town. The gruesome crime would be dubbed "The Barbecue Murders" in the press.  Sources: "Kill My Parents: The story of Marlene Olive" by Denise Noe for Crime Library, June 23, 2014 "A Local Murder: Terra Linda was the setting for a real-life 1975 crime" by Jim Wood for Marin Magazine, October 21, 2008 Music Credits: Original theme music by http://AaronGoldberg.Bandcamp.com Other music: https://freesound.org/s/131913/, https://freesound.org/s/403662/, https://freesound.org/s/147495/, https://freesound.org/s/147495/ - all licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License Links: Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-taco-bout-true-crime/id1452118167  Affirmative Murder -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/affirmative-murder/id1296864488  

In this special episode I'll do an in-depth look at the infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos.   Time stamps: Early Life: 02:41 Teen Years: 13:25 Young Adult Life: 32:17 On the Road: 35:30 Criminal Activity: 36:12 Tyra: 47:30 The Victims: 55:57 Closing In/The Arrest: 1:36:40 The Confession: 1:44:46 Arlene Pralle/Adoption: 1:51:50 The Trial: 1:56:42 Death Sentence: 2:04:26 Execution 2:12:44 Final Thoughts: 2:14:35 Sources: "Lethal Intent", written by Sue Russell, Published 2002 for Pinnacle Books http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/wuornos805.htm "A Mother's Love" by Mike Clary for the LA Times, Dec 17 1991,  https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-12-17-vw-496-story.html Other links:  Deadly Misadventures Podcast  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deadly-misadventures/id1494774552  Music Credits:  Aaron Michael Goldberg: https://aarongoldberg.bandcamp.com Music from https://filmmusic.io "March of the Mind" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (ht

On this special episode my guest is Jack Luna from Crime Machine Podcast.  We discuss the evidence and theories behind the JonBenet Ramsey Case. Sources: Foreign Faction: Who Really Killed JonBenet? by A. James Kolar, Ventus Publishing, 2012.  JonBenet Ramsey Case Encyclopedia, www.jonbenetramsey.pbworks.com  "The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey". https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6mj3ze  Crime Machine Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crime-machine/id1209610434 

On this special episode, I discuss the death of Shawn Stephens Lewis. Shawn was the fifth wife of Jerry Lee Lewis, the rock and country music star.  When Shawn Lewis was found dead in Lewis's mansion on August 24, 1983, many questions would remain unanswered as to how she died.  My very special guest this week is Erica Kelly from the Southern Fried True Crime podcast!  www.southernfriedtruecrime.com www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime  www.crimecon.com - use offer code ONCE20 for 10% off your standard badge.  Resources: "The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis" by Richard Ben Cramer for Rolling Stone, March 1, 1984 "The Sudden Death of Wife No. 5 Confronts Jerry Lee Lewis with Tragedy - and Troubling Questions" by People Staff for People Magazine, Sept 12, 1983.  "Jerry Lee Lewis: 'The Killer' Says the Wild Times are Behind Him" by Jim Sullivan for The Chicago Tribune. 

On this year-end wrap up episode, I answer listener questions and share updates on cases I've covered in past episodes. 

In this last episode about fugitives on the run from the law I tell you the story of the very first woman ever to make the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List.  Ruth Eisemann-Schier, along with her boyfriend, Gary Krist, carried out a bizarre kidnapping plot in 1968.   Resources: "Femmes Fatals: The Ten Women on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List" by Anna Hopkins for DailyMail.com, Sep 11, 2017.  "A kidnapping with Deltona ties gripped the nation 50 years ago" by Tony Holt for The Daytona Beach News Journal, Dec 20, 2017.  Krist v. The State of Georgia, Appeal Record, Dec 3, 1970. Retrieved online at www.Cite.Case.Law.  "Gary Krist: The Einstein of Crime" by David Krajicek for www.TruTV.com  Music Credits: "On My Way" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Outro Music by Chesare Gray Music

A young man from a wealthy family is accused of committing two rapes while still in high school. Before he could be tried on these charges he'd flee the jurisdiction and disappear for eight years before finally being brought to justice. Resources:  "Accused Rapist and His Flight Trouble Darien" by Elizabeth Neuffer for The New York Times, Aug 27, 1987 "From Ski Slopes of Europe to a Rape Trial" by George Judson for The New York Times, Jan 31, 1995.  "Judgment Days" by Bill Hewitt for People.com, Nov 4, 1996. "Son of Darien" by Susan Cheever for The New York Times, April 27, 1997.  Vanity Fair Confidential: Fugitive Son, based on reporting by Jennet Conant for Vanity Fair Magazine, first aired on Jan 24, 2017. 

In this episode I’ll share two separate cases of women who became part of a very small and exclusive club - women who made the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List.   Nazira Ugalde killed for financial gain and flees to South America.  A young woman in Texas, Brenda Delgado, plans the murder of her romantic rival and disappears soon after being questioned by police.   Resources:  "New details emerge about Reno 'Black Widow', Behind the Crime Tape Blog, Nov. 27, 2012 "Fugitive Black Widow wanted in ex-husband's 2008 murder arrested i Peru", by Nina Golgowski for New York Daily News, Jun 5, 2014.  "Mother of Hygenist at center of deadly love triangle sas her daughter is 'not the jealous type'", by Shekhar Bhatia for DailyMail.com, Sep 12, 2015.  "Duo Behind Killing of Dentist in Murder-for-Hire Plot May be Linked to Drug Cartel", Chicago 5 News, Oct 23, 2015.  "Brenda Delgado: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", Heavy.com, Jun 7, 2019.  "The State of Texas vs Brenda Delgado", Criminal Indictment, October 2, 2018.  Po

A small time drug dealer kidnaps a rival's younger brother in order to settle a debt.  The unfolding series of events would become one of California's most bizarre and tragic kidnapping cases on record and would even inspire an award-winning Hollywood movie.   Resources: Jesse Katz for Los Angeles Magazine, "The Last Ride of Jesse James Hollywood", February 2002.  Colby Frazier for Daily Sound, "Hollywood tells his story", June 24, 2009.  Henry Chu and Solomon Moore for The Los Angeles Times, "Fugitive Kept Low Profile in Quiet Brazilian Beach Town", March 11, 2005.  Chris Hansen for Dateline, "The Real Story Behind 'Alpha Dog', Jan 15, 2007.  Tyler Hayden for The Santa Barbara Independent, "Meet Mrs. Jesse James Hollywood", Feb 4, 2014.  Music Credits:  Music from https://filmmusic.io "Floating Cities" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) "Life of Riley" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons

In this episode I dig into my file of spooky stories to share some haunted happenings in the world of rock and roll.  #themansionatlaurelcanyon #redhotchilipeppers #slipknot #hauntedhouses #bonscott #joshuatreeinn #halloween #ghoststories  Resources: Corey Taylor, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven (Or How I Made Peace with the Paranormal and Stigmatized Zealots and Cynics in the Process), (Da Capo Press, 2013).  Inside the Laurel Canyon Houdini Estate, www.wildabouthoudini.com, March 30, 2012.  Funky Monks - Uncut Full Documentary (1st edit uncut w/bonus footage), YouTube, uploaded by MakingMonstersInk, April 10, 2013. https://youtu.be/z0tTJ4SakE0 Music credits from https://filmmusic.io - License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) "Halloween Theme 1" by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/) "Graveyard Shift" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) "Myst on the Moor" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) "Waltz of Treachery" by Kevin MacLeod (h

Bob Marley went from singing R&B harmonies in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica to becoming a pioneer of reggae music, bringing his own blend of reggae, rock and ska music to a global audience. But as a popular figure in Jamaica, he was unwillingly thrust into the country’s political strife. The situation became so dangerous for Marley that on December 3, 1976, he became a target of assassins.  Resources: Chris Salewicz, Bob Marley: The Untold Story, (New York: Faber and Faber), 2010.  Biolgraphy.com, "Bob Marley", https://www.biography.com/musician/bob-marley Vivien Goldman, The Guardian, "Dread, beat and blood", July 16, 2006.  Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, "Manufacturing Bob Marley", July 17, 2017 Mike Lanchin, BBC World Service, "I was there when gunmen tried to kill Bob Marley," December 4, 2016.  Kief Davidson, Remastered: Who Shot the Sheriff?, Netflix, 2015.  Music Credits: Music from https://filmmusic.io Sunny Rasta" by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/) License: CC BY (http

A free concert took place in northern California in December of 1969 featuring The Rolling Stones. It would descend into chaos due to poor planning, rampant drug use and the ill-advised use of the Hells Angels as concert security.  Resources: Joel Selvin, Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day, (New York: Harper Collins), 2016.  Lester Bangs, Reny Brown, John Burks, Sammy Egan, Michael Goodwin, Geoffrey Link, Greil Marcus, John Morthland, Eugene Schoenfeld, Patrick Thomas, and Langdon Winner, Rolling Stone Magazine, "The Rolling Stones Disaster at Altamont: Let It Bleed," January 21, 1970.  Albert & David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, Gimme Shelter (1970), http://watchdocumentaries.com/rolling-stones-gimme-shelter/ Note: Meredith Hunter can be seen in the crowd at timestamp 1:18:50. The attack on him begins at 1:23:26. 

A woman begins receiving harassing phone calls and letters from a stalker.  It would take years to discover who the anonymous man was, but when he was finally identified a shocking secret would be revealed.  Resources: Book: Little Girl Fly Away by Gene Stone Articles:   'Poet" makes life a living horror for Wichita Woman by Scott Kraft for AP in the Garden City Telegram, Jan 24, 1980 'Poet' strikes again and Wichita police still baffled by Scott Kraft for AP in Garden City Telegram, Feb 21, 1980 Harassed by an Unknown Author of Vicious Rhymes, Ruth Finley Confronts the Stranger Within Herself by Gene Stone for People Magazine, Sept. 5, 1988 Social Media: Once Upon a Time Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1730325570622505/  Patreon:  www.Patreon.com/OnceUponaCrime