Obscura: A True Crime Podcast

In the Spring of 2016, the small town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, England found itself in the spotlight of media attention. For all the wrong reasons. Lives had been brutally snatched away in the dead of night within the setting that we all should have the right to feel safe in, our home. Asleep and peaceful, two innocent lives did not know the danger around them. They had no way of knowing what was coming for them that night. The minds behind these vile crimes were hidden behind childish faces and unassuming ages. They showed twisted depravity embedded in their psyches where selfish desire and an undercurrent of misplaced resentment fuelled two brutal cold-blooded murders. And they were the last two people anyone would suspect. -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Find us on all podcasting platforms: Obscura: https://link.chtbl.com/obscura -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast -Check out our other podcasts: itsarclightmedia.com

In Florida there is a man, a predator lying in wait. He’s got a long criminal record and a boat that’s not quite 30 feet. He owns a dark blue jeep Cherokee and uncontrollable violent urges. In this man, this predator’s past, are the image of his father, hanging by his neck, swaying in the basement. When he closes his eyes at night he recounts the memory of jumping in his father’s grave. Slamming his hands on the coffin. Writer: Justin Drown -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Find us on all podcasting platforms: Obscura: https://link.chtbl.com/obscura -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast -Check out our other podcasts: itsarclightmedia.com Episode Sponser: - Download your new favorite getaway, BEST FIENDS, for FREE today on the App Store or Google Play.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Here it is in all it's reimagined glory. The earliest roots of Black Label. The Oba Chandler series. Listener, I busted my butt to get this to you guys in a reasonable time. Justin In Florida there is a man, a predator lying in wait. He’s got a long criminal record and a boat that’s not quite 30 feet. He owns a dark blue jeep Cherokee and uncontrollable violent urges. In this man, this predator’s past, are the image of his father, hanging by his neck, swaying in the basement. When he closes his eyes at night he recounts the memory of jumping in his father’s grave. Slamming his hands on the coffin. Writer: Justin Drown -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Find us on all podcasting platforms: Obscura: Obscura: https://link.chtbl.com/obscura -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast -Check out our other podcasts: itsarclightmedia.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/priva

If you’ve ever been in a printing plant, you know how loud they tend be. The rhythmic banging and clicking of the presses combined with the purr of constant, high decibel white noise is surprisingly soothing once you get used to it. But on the morning of September 14, 1989, something about this familiar cacophony was suddenly off in a large facility in Louisville, Kentucky. It was too loud, and too erratic. Too sharp for the steady hum of the machines. And then…screaming. Because it wasn’t the machines – it was gunfire. And by the time silence descended on the Standard Gravure printing plant a half hour later, at roughly 9:00 AM, 12 people were wounded and 8 were dead. The identity of the killer was never in question – he put an SIG Sauer, a 9mm pistol, under his chin and died at the scene. The focus of the investigation was rather on a potential accomplice of this mass murderer, which you are likely already familiar with. You may know it by its street names, like “happy pills” or “bottled sunshine”; or you m

New York City in the 1980s was not the place we know it to be today, especially when it comes to violent crime. Almost no neighborhood was without risks, and no one was off limits. With millions of people living and working in such a confined space, commuting to and around Manhattan via the dirty, dangerous and heavily graffitied subway system was the only choice available to 3.3 million residents who relied on the subway every day. These days on the subway, transit officers have a reassuring presence. They ensure things are running smoothly and that any disturbances are dealt with swiftly. But in the 1980s, the city couldn’t afford to employ such security. Many citizens resented feeling scared, but there was little else they could do. The NYPD already had their work cut out for them in terms of responding to an overwhelming amount of daily emergency calls about violent assaults and murders. But it wouldn’t be long before widespread discontent about the amount of violent street crime in the Big Apple was abou

New York City in the 1980s was not the place we know it to be today, especially when it comes to violent crime. Almost no neighbourhood was without risks, and no one was off limits. With millions of people living and working in such a confined space, commuting to and around Manhattan via the dirty, dangerous and heavily graffitied subway system was the only choice available to 3.3 million residents who relied on the subway every day. These days on the subway, transit officers have a reassuring presence. They ensure things are running smoothly and that any disturbances are dealt with swiftly. But in the 1980s, the city couldn’t afford to employ such security. Many citizens resented feeling scared, but there was little else they could do. The NYPD already had their work cut out for them in terms of responding to an overwhelming amount of daily emergency calls about violent assaults and murders. But it wouldn’t be long before widespread discontent about the amount of violent street crime in the Big Apple was abo

In the case of Craig Price, otherwise known as the Warwick Slasher, there was every indication he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. His inherent charisma effectively deceived those closest to him. Little did they know he would go down in history as being Rhode Island’s most notorious serial killer. At the same time, his case would serve as a major catalyst for widespread reform. -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast Episode Sponser: -Download Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google PlayAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On the October long weekend of 1997, 14-year-old Lauren Barry and 16-year-old Nichole Collins were enjoying a camping trip with some friends at a popular bush spot just outside Tathra, on the far south south coast of NSW. At the campsite there was relatively constant adult supervision, with parents checking in at regular intervals to ensure everyone was safe and well. As the Sunday night wore on, Nichole became contemplative about her recent relationship breakup. She knew her ex was at a party at a house a few kilometres away, and wanted to walk over to talk to him about getting back together. But by this time it was dark, and not necessarily safe to go walking through the bush alone given the risk of misadventure. If Nichole fell and injured herself, there’d be no way of calling for help, and these were the days before every teenager had a mobile phone. Nichole and Lauren decided to walk to the party together, and at 9pm they set off. It wasn’t unusual for teens in the area to walk to where they wanted to ge

On the October long weekend of 1997, 14-year-old Lauren Barry and 16-year-old Nichole Collins were enjoying a camping trip with some friends at a popular bush spot just outside Tathra, on the far south south coast of NSW. At the campsite there was relatively constant adult supervision, with parents checking in at regular intervals to ensure everyone was safe and well. As the Sunday night wore on, Nichole became contemplative about her recent relationship breakup. She knew her ex was at a party at a house a few kilometres away, and wanted to walk over to talk to him about getting back together. But by this time it was dark, and not necessarily safe to go walking through the bush alone given the risk of misadventure. If Nichole fell and injured herself, there’d be no way of calling for help, and these were the days before every teenager had a mobile phone. Nichole and Lauren decided to walk to the party together, and at 9pm they set off. It wasn’t unusual for teens in the area to walk to where they wanted to ge

On 1 November 2006, Kerry Nicol was worried. She hadn’t heard from her 19-year-old daughter Tania since she’d left their house just 2 nights earlier. The family lived on the outskirts of Ipswich, the biggest town in the county of Suffolk, in the East Anglia region of southeast England. The fact Tania hadn’t been in contact gave Kerry further cause to be concerned. She’d known for some time that Tania was an injecting drug user, and at one stage had even found syringes in her bedroom. Tania had sought help for her drug dependency, but the pull of addiction was strong. Tania soon found that sex work paid the money she needed to fund her habit, and she joined the group of around 30 to 40 street sex workers who worked the red-light district of Ipswich. Sometimes Tania stayed out with friends and didn’t come home until the next day. Which was why Kerry was so troubled when Tania didn’t return home or call like she usually did. Kerry reported her missing daughter to the police. There were conflicting reports that T

(Part 1) On 1 November 2006, Kerry Nicol was worried. She hadn’t heard from her 19-year-old daughter Tania since she’d left their house just 2 nights earlier. The family lived on the outskirts of Ipswich, the biggest town in the county of Suffolk, in the East Anglia region of southeast England. The fact Tania hadn’t been in contact gave Kerry further cause to be concerned. She’d known for some time that Tania was an injecting drug user, and at one stage had even found syringes in her bedroom. Tania had sought help for her drug dependency, but the pull of addiction was strong. Tania soon found that sex work paid the money she needed to fund her habit, and she joined the group of around 30 to 40 street sex workers who worked the red-light district of Ipswich. Sometimes Tania stayed out with friends and didn’t come home until the next day. Which was why Kerry was so troubled when Tania didn’t return home or call like she usually did. Kerry reported her missing daughter to the police. There were conflicting repor

(Part 2) In January 2015, Martin and Teresa Van Breda were enjoying having their oldest son, 22 year old Rudi home from university in Australia. The family’s other two children, 20 year old Henri and 16 year old Marli, also lived with their parents in the town of Stellenbosch in the south west of South Africa. Marli was nearing the end of her high school education. Like Rudi, Henri had also been studying in Australia, but dropped out of university and moved back home in 2014, to take a ‘gap year’ to reconsider his plans. Like many upper middle class South Africans, the family lived in a secure, gated, luxury housing estate. For all its beauty and cultural diversity, the risks associated with both visiting and living in South Africa are oftentimes confronting. The country is known for its high rates of violent crime, including murder, rape, carjacking, robbery and home invasions. Violent crimes such as home invasions occur not just at night, but at all hours of the day. Many intruders prefer to break into home

In January 2015, Martin and Teresa Van Breda were enjoying having their oldest son, 22 year old Rudi home from university in Australia. The family’s other two children, 20 year old Henri and 16 year old Marli, also lived with their parents in the town of Stellenbosch in the south west of South Africa. Marli was nearing the end of her high school education. Like Rudi, Henri had also been studying in Australia, but dropped out of university and moved back home in 2014, to take a ‘gap year’ to reconsider his plans. Like many upper middle class South Africans, the family lived in a secure, gated, luxury housing estate. For all its beauty and cultural diversity, the risks associated with both visiting and living in South Africa are oftentimes confronting. The country is known for its high rates of violent crime, including murder, rape, carjacking, robbery and home invasions. Violent crimes such as home invasions occur not just at night, but at all hours of the day. Many intruders prefer to break into homes when oc

In late 2018, James Gargasoulas was found guilty of six counts of murder, for running down pedestrians almost 2 years earlier in Melbourne’s Bourke Street mall during the busy lunch hour. Questions had been raised as to whether James would be fit to stand trial based on a subsequent mental health diagnosis and his long history of frequent drug use. Thankfully for the victims’ families, justice had been done. Partly, anyway. But they had no way of knowing how James’ mental health and other mitigating factors would affect his sentence. At the same time, the victims’ families had another fight on their hands. Victoria Police were now firmly in the glare of the media spotlight over their questionable judgement and decision making in the 12 hours leading up to the massacre - key decisions which failed to result in James being arrested for earlier stabbing his brother. But it was uncertain whether senior police would be held accountable by the coroner for how their critical incident management protocols did - or di

On 20 January 2017, during the typically busy lunch hour in the Melbourne CBD, 27 year old James Gargasoulas drove along the footpath of multiple blocks of Bourke Street, killing six unsuspecting people and injuring many more. The aftermath of his rampage left the people of Melbourne stunned and grieving. As details of the lead up to the carnage emerged, the public and victims’ families were outraged. Police had been tailing James for 12 hours before the massacre, as he taunted them and led law enforcement on a wild goose chase around the suburbs after stabbing his brother. The big question was, why hadn’t he been arrested sooner when numerous opportunities were available? Media reports soon revealed that James was a repeat violent offender who was out on bail when he ploughed through the city crowds, and answers were demanded as to why. How could the bail system be so fallible as to allow someone so dangerous back onto the streets? But that wasn’t the only concern. As court proceedings commenced, victims a

Welcome, I'm glad you made it. I will have a new episode for you every other week so I hope you're ready to join me by the fire. (Part 1) On 20 January 2017, office workers and tourists were among the throngs of people making their way through Bourke Street Mall amidst the lunch hour hustle and bustle of the Melbourne CBD. But the sunny summer’s day was rudely disrupted by the sound of tires skidding and police sirens blaring. In less than a minute, 27 year old James Gargasoulas had driven along the footpath multiple blocks of Bourke Street, wreaking havoc and creating a terror amongst Melbourne citizens, the fallout of which lingers today. During his rampage, James killed six people, including a three month old baby, and injured many more. But this wasn’t the most shocking aspect of what occurred. James was a repeat violent offender, and was on bail when he ploughed through the city crowds. The cascade of events culminating in what can only be described as utter carnage, led to painful questions. How

Typically Black Label episodes are exclusive to Patreon, if you enjoy this episode check out our other Black Label episodes that are released monthly! (Link Below) (This is S2E11 on Black Label)Visit us online at ObscuraCrimePodcast.comCheckout our other podcasts at itsArcLightMedia.comSupport the Obscura podcast and access the exclusive Black Label episodes by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast(Sources can be found on our website)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Black Label episodes are released monthly to Patreon Supporters. Take a listen to one, this is S2E10 on Black Label. (link below)Listener, if anything in today’s episode has raised any issues for you, or if you or someone you know is at risk, please call the 24 hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 in the United States, or your relevant emergency number.For further information about managing postpartum mental health, please contact your treating doctor. You can also visit www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health.gov or www.panda.org.auVisit us online at ObscuraCrimePodcast.comCheckout our other podcasts at itsArcLightMedia.comSupport the Obscura podcast and access the exclusive Black Label episodes by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast(Sources can be found on our website)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Black Label episodes are typically exclusive to Patreon supporters, to listen to our other episodes find us on Patreon at the link below. Extreme content warning. In two parts, one longer, this episode explores an increasingly desensitized internet and the dark corners of the web that's ripe for radicalization. Part 01 explores a horrific crime that's met callous jokes by users that don't bother to hide their identity. Part 02 is a deep dive into internet radicalization and its effects after nearly two decades.Visit us online at ObscuraCrimePodcast.comCheckout our other podcasts at itsArcLightMedia.comSupport the Obscura podcast and access the exclusive Black Label episodes by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast(Sources can be found on our website)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Visit us online at ObscuraCrimePodcast.com Checkout our other podcasts at itsArcLightMedia.com Support the Obscura podcast and access the exclusive Black Label episodes by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast(Sources can be found on our website)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy