Morbid

When Al and Carmen Snedeker found out that their son Phillip was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the treatment plan required the family to relocate into a three floor home in Southington, Connecticut. The second floor apartment quickly became a nightmare for the inhabitants, with attacks escalating to demonic assault. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Carpenter, B. (1988, September 15). Exorcism performed in 'spirited' home. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 37. Carpenter, B. (1988, August 18). Researcher says home haunted by evil presence. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 33. Carpenter, B. (1988, August 13). Southington haunting is daunting . Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 1. Cohen, J. (1992, October 27). Their Southington haunt was hellish, couple tell Sally Jessy. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 1. Garton, R., & Warren, E. (1992). In a Dark Place: The True Story of a Haunting. New York, NY: Villard Books. I was raped by a ghost (1992). [Motion Picture]. Nickel, J. (2009). Demons in Connecticut. Skeptical Inquirer, 25-27. Schmidt, K. (1992, October 30). Couple sees ghost; skeptics see through it. Hartford Courant, p. 126. Smith, G. (1991, May 15). Family still haunted by ghastly experience. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the depths of the dark net, tech journalist Carl Miller makes a disturbing discovery: a secret Kill List targeting hundreds of innocent people on a murder for hire website. When the police decide not to investigate, Carl is thrown into a race against time to warn those in danger and uncover the truth about the people who want them dead. From Wondery and Novel, comes a true story about obsession, control and the price of life and death. Listen to Kill List on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/Kill_List You can listen to Kill List and more Exhibit C true crime shows like Morbid early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+. Check out Exhibit C in the Wondery App for all your true crime listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We continue to celebrate Spooky Season by touching on a few cemeteries that will make your spine tingle! Alaina tells us about the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground and its connection to a gothic icon. Ash dives into the stories about the Bachelor's Grove Cemetery and reads a first hand haunting account from a fellow weirdo! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! Rejoice! Spooky Season continues as we check into a few hotels where you will get more than free WiFi and room service! Alaina introduces us to not one, but TWO haunted hotels in Arizona! She delves into the Oliver House where historically verified murders have left terrifying specters as well as its haunted counterpart the Copper Queen! Ash brings us to Georgia, where the Marshall House ghostly residents walk the halls in search of their missing limbs! If you have any suggestions for future spooky episodes email us at morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “spooky” in the title! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're getting into Spooky Season proper now, and to celebrate, we hung out with our friend Aliza from the PAVE podcast Horoscope Weekly with Aliza Kelly! Today we dive into Alaina's 'Roman Empire'- The Salem Witch Trials, and see how the stars over Salem played into the infamous tragedy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! Today's episode is brought TO you, BY you, For you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! It's Listener Tales 90! Today we have a great batch of tales submitted by YOU! We have ghost cats, we have children dropping in to say 'hieeeeeee' BEFORE their birth, we have ghosty grandfathers playing with the grandson they never met, and we have Kitty's tale which will leave you with tears in your eyes! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When eighteen-year-old recent high school graduate Tiffany Valiante was struck and killed by a train in July 2015, the news came as a shock to friends and family, who couldn’t fathom why the teenager had been out walking the tracks that night. Their shock and confusion quickly turned to outrage and disbelief when, less than twenty-four hours later, Tiffany’s death was ruled a suicide by the New Jersey Transit Police, who were tasked with investigating the incident. As far as everyone knew, Tiffany was a happy, outgoing girl with a bright future and a sports scholarship to Mercy College in the fall—they couldn’t think of a single reason why she would have wanted to end her life. Despite the official conclusions about her death, the Valiante family have never believed Tiffany intentionally stepped in front of the train that night, and in the months and years that have passed since her death, many other people have come to a similar conclusion. In fact, they’re confident the evidence and numerous unanswered questions suggest Tiffany had not gone into the woods voluntarily and that her death is at best suspicious, and at worst a murder. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Conklin, Eric. 2023. "Family of Tiffany Valiante marks 8 years since teen's death with 2nd docuseries in the works." Press of Atlantic City, July 24. Daily Beast. 2022. "Was high school grad being chased before grisly train death?" Daily Beast, July 16. D'Amato Law. 2017. "“It’s just not the Tiffany I knew,” said Allison Walker, head women’s volleyball coach at Stockton University who coached Valiante in the East Coast Crush Volleyball Club, a junior travel volleyball team. “The time of night really didn’t sit right with me." D'Amato Law. July 17. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://damatolawfirm.com/in-the-news/who-killed-tiffany-valiante-questions-persist-as-family-marks-the-third-anniversary-of-her-mysterious-death/. —. 2022. Mishandling Key Evidence In 2015 Tiffany Valiante Suspicious Death Case Impeded Independent Forensic DNA Analysis, Reports Renowned Lab. March 29. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://damatolawfirm.com/in-the-news/mishandling-key-evidence-in-2015-tiffany-valiante-suspicious-death-case/. DeAngelis, Martin. 2016. "Death of teen not suicide, suit says." Press of Atlantic City, July 20: 3. DiFilippo, Dana, and Joe Hernandez. 2017. Family of N.J. teen killed by train disputes suicide ruling, sues to prove kidnap-murder plot. July 19. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://whyy.org/articles/family-of-nj-teen-killed-by-train-disputes-suicide-ruling-sues-to-prove-kidnap-murder-plot/. Houseman, H. Louise. 2017. Investigative report submitted by H. Louise Hoiusman, Senior Medical Investigator. Investigative Report, Egg Harbor, NJ: D'Amato Law. Huba, Nicholas. 2015. "Suicides shock, sadden teens." Press of Atlantic City, July 19: 1. Jason, Dr. Donald. 2018. Re: Death of Tiffany Valiante. Forensic evaluation, Egg Harbor, NJ: D'Amato Law. Low, Claire. 2018. "A walk thgrough hell." Press of Atlantic City, December 16: 1. Morgan, Kate. 2022. Tiffany Valiante's last night. November. Accessed August 15, 2024. https://sjmagazine.net/featured/tiffany-valiantes-last-night. Stephen F. Valiante and Diane F. Valiante v. Does et al. 2017. ATL-L-1411-17 (Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, July 18). Sterling, Stephen, and S.P. Sullivan. 2017. Death and dysfunction: HGow N.J. fails the dead, betrays the living and is a national disgrace. December 14. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://death.nj.com/. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After opening an investigation into Cindy’s death, investigators learned that, for nearly a decade leading up to her death, Cindy James had repeatedly reported to Richmond Police that she was a victim of harassment, stalking, and assault, and had even turned over threatening letters and answering machine messages as evidence of the harassment; yet local police were unable to verify her story or intervene to protect her. At first, Cindy’s death appeared to be the inevitable and tragic conclusion of a years’-long campaign of harassment and terror by an unknown stalker; however, when investigators began digging into Cindy’s personal history, they discovered evidence that contradicted their initial assumptions and pointed towards a far stranger explanation for her death. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Graham, Patracia. 1989. "We could have done better for Cindy." The Province, June 16: 37. Hall, Neal. 1989. "Body believed to be missing nurse's." Vancouver Sun, June 9: 1. —. 1990. "Ex-spouse angrily denied woman's lurid charge." Vancouver Sun, March 7: A12. —. 1990. "James' ex-husband tells of fear police would frame him." Vancouver Sun, March 8: 19. —. 1990. "James felt abandoned, ex-husband testifies ." Vancouver Sun, May 8: 16. —. 1990. "James inquest hears of 1984 kidnap claim." Vancouver Sun, March 2: 15. —. 1990. "James recalled bloody tale." Vancouver Sun, March 6: 19. —. 1990. "Under siege." Vancouver Sun, March 24: A9. Horwood, Holly. 1990. "James inquest a strain for jurors." The Province, May 31: 4. —. 1990. "Nurse changed her story." The Province, February 28: 6. —. 1990. "Threats, attacks preceded death." The Province, February 27: 2. Jiwa, Salim. 1989. "Body is nurse's." The Province , June 9: 5. —. 1989. "Somebody tailed Cindy." The Province, June 1: 4. Mulgrew, Ian. 1991. Who Killed Cindy James? Seal Press: New York, NY. Pemberton, Kim. 1989. "Strange ordeal of Cindy James." Vancouver Sun, July 13: 17. Vancouver Sun. 1989. "Abduction feared by nurse's dad." Vancouver Sun, June 2: 37. —. 1990. "Conflicting evidence fabricated tangled puzzle for inquest." Vancouver Sun, May 29: 9. —. 1990. "Coroner's jury to hear of mysterious incidents." Vancouver Sun, February 26: 21. —. 1989. "Police ask help in locating missing nurse." Vancouver Sun, May 30: 33. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On June 8, 1989, a municipal worker discovered the body of forty-four-year-old Cindy James in the backyard of an abandoned home in Richmond, British Columbia, hogtied and with a woman’s stocking wrapped around her neck. Two weeks earlier, friends had reported Cindy missing when she failed to show up for a game of cards and when the authorities searched Cindy’s car, they discovered blood and other signs that indicated she may have met with foul play. After opening an investigation into Cindy’s death, investigators learned that, for nearly a decade leading up to her death, Cindy James had repeatedly reported to Richmond Police that she was a victim of harassment, stalking, and assault, and had even turned over threatening letters and answering machine messages as evidence of the harassment; yet local police were unable to verify her story or intervene to protect her. At first, Cindy’s death appeared to be the inevitable and tragic conclusion of a years’-long campaign of harassment and terror by an unknown stalker; however, when investigators began digging into Cindy’s personal history, they discovered evidence that contradicted their initial assumptions and pointed towards a far stranger explanation for her death. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Graham, Patracia. 1989. "We could have done better for Cindy." The Province, June 16: 37. Hall, Neal. 1989. "Body believed to be missing nurse's." Vancouver Sun, June 9: 1. —. 1990. "Ex-spouse angrily denied woman's lurid charge." Vancouver Sun, March 7: A12. —. 1990. "James' ex-husband tells of fear police would frame him." Vancouver Sun, March 8: 19. —. 1990. "James felt abandoned, ex-husband testifies ." Vancouver Sun, May 8: 16. —. 1990. "James inquest hears of 1984 kidnap claim." Vancouver Sun, March 2: 15. —. 1990. "James recalled bloody tale." Vancouver Sun, March 6: 19. —. 1990. "Under siege." Vancouver Sun, March 24: A9. Horwood, Holly. 1990. "James inquest a strain for jurors." The Province, May 31: 4. —. 1990. "Nurse changed her story." The Province, February 28: 6. —. 1990. "Threats, attacks preceded death." The Province, February 27: 2. Jiwa, Salim. 1989. "Body is nurse's." The Province , June 9: 5. —. 1989. "Somebody tailed Cindy." The Province, June 1: 4. Mulgrew, Ian. 1991. Who Killed Cindy James? Seal Press: New York, NY. Pemberton, Kim. 1989. "Strange ordeal of Cindy James." Vancouver Sun, July 13: 17. Vancouver Sun. 1989. "Abduction feared by nurse's dad." Vancouver Sun, June 2: 37. —. 1990. "Conflicting evidence fabricated tangled puzzle for inquest." Vancouver Sun, May 29: 9. —. 1990. "Coroner's jury to hear of mysterious incidents." Vancouver Sun, February 26: 21. —. 1989. "Police ask help in locating missing nurse." Vancouver Sun, May 30: 33. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! It's Friday the 13th, so we figured we'd celebrate with a little bonus episode! We are thrilled to be joined by our new friends Juliet Landau, Christopher Feinstein & Frank Bonacci and talk about their new show Slayin' It with Juliet Landau. So! Stay away from Crystal Lake, Cozy up to the Hellmouth in Sunnydale, and Keep! It! Weird! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On October 20, 1931, baggage agents in Los Angeles received a tip that two trunks on the incoming Southern Pacific Railroad could contain contraband material. When the agents located the suspicious trunks, they opened them and were horrified to find within them the dismembered remains of Anne LeRoi and Hedvig Samuelson, two young women who had gone missing in Arizona days earlier. Both women had been shot to death. Railroad agents quickly traced the trunks back to twenty-six-year-old Winnie Ruth Judd, but Judd disappeared into the crowd before authorities could apprehend and question her. Two days later, Judd surrendered to the LAPD, setting off one of the decade’s most sensational murder cases and making Winnie Ruth Judd, the “Trunk Murderess,” an object of public curiosity for decades to follow. Some called her a butcher and a psychopath, yet many others found it impossible to believe that she’d acted alone or that she was anything more than an unwilling accomplice. Winnie Ruth Judd was ultimately found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, but her life was spared, and her sentence was overturned when psychiatrists determined her to be mentally incompetent and she was sent to a psychiatric institution. Judd spent thirty years in an Arizona mental institution, from which she escaped and was recaptured six times, before finally winning parole in 1971. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Arizona Daily Star. 1932. "Testimony in Judd trial is before jurors." Arizona Daily Star, February 7: 1. —. 1932. "Winnie Judd breaks under trial's strain." Arizona Daily Star, January 22: 1. Associated Press. 1932. "Winnie Judd guilty, must hang for murder." Arizona Daily Star, February 9: 1. —. 1932. "Mrs. Judd guilty of first degree murder." New York Times, February 9: 1. —. 1939. "Mrs. Judd, slayer, escapes asylum." New York Times, October 26: 27. Bommersbach, Jana. 1992. The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Los Angeles Evening Express. 1931. "Youth reveals sister's story." Los Angeles Evening Express, October 20: 1. Los Angeles Times. 1931. "Doctor wants to hunt wife." Los Angeles Times, October 21: 9. —. 1931. "Trunk murder suspect dodges great dragnet." Los Angeles Times, October 21: 1. —. 1931. "Trunk seeker ex-employee." Los Angeles Times, October 20: 2. New York Times. 1932. "Alienist asserts Mrs. Judd is sane." New York Times, February 4: 9. —. 1931. "Confession letter laid to Mrs. Judd." New York Times, October 25: 3. —. 1931. "Mrs. Judd gives up in trunk murders." New York Times, October 24: 3. —. 1932. "Mrs. Judd to die on scaffold May 11." New York Times, February 25: 44. —. 1971. "Winnie Ruth Judd free on parole." New York Times, November 30: 53. Stanley, Thiers. 1931. "Fears grip Mrs. Judd." Los Angeles Times, October 31: 1. Tucson Citizen. 1931. "Accomplice sought." Tucson Citizen, October 20: 1. —. 1932. "Eludes guard while mother is on stand." Tucson Citizen, January 26: 1. —. 1931. "Student tells of trip to claim bodies of victims." Tucson Citizen, October 20: 1. United Press International. 1982. "Trunk murderer wins big court settlement ." UPI Archive, December 31. Winnie Ruth Judd v. State of Arizona. 1932. 41 Ariz. 176 (Ariz. 1932) (Supreme Court of Arizona, 12 December 12). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of December 17, 1968, two gunmen burst into the Atlanta motel room of Barbara Jane Mackle and her mother, Jane. After tying up and chloroforming Jane Mackle, the two kidnapped Barbara, forcing her into their car at gunpoint. Later that day, a family friend received a call at the Mackle home in Florida, instructing them to look in the northwest corner of the Mackle’s yard, where they would find a ransom note with details about how to ensure their daughter’s safe return. Once the note was unearthed, the Mackle’s learned their daughter had been placed inside a box and buried in the ground in a remote location. She has enough food, water, and air to survive for a few days, but if the family doesn’t act quickly, there’s a good chance Barbara will die The kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle was an elaborately planned, well-executed crime that quickly dominated local and national headlines, which was no small feat in a year of major social upheaval. By the 1960s, kidnapping for ransom was a familiar concept, but to be kidnapped and buried alive was a terrifying thought that shook Americans to their core and left everyone wondering, what kind of person could do such a thing? Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Associated Press. 1968. "Kidnapped college girl found safe in box underground." Los Angeles Times, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Mackle kidnapping suspect capturted; $480,000 recovered." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl tells of ordeal of 83 hours entombed in box." New York Times, December 29: 44. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl, buried alive, is freed." New York Times, December 21: 1. Atlanta Constitution. 1968. "80-hour burial ends in rescue." Atlanta Constitution, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Motel coed kidnapped here spurs nationwide alert for 2." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Foreman, Laura. 1968. "Campus silent about the girl." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Gary Steven Krist v. State of Georgia. 1970. 227 Ga. 85 (Ga. 1970) (Supreme Court of Georgia, December 3). Markowitz, Arnold. 1969. "Plea of Innocent entered for Krist." Miami Herald, March 8: 1. Miami Herald. 1969. "Krist collapses; is being force-fed." Miami Herald, April 25: 4. —. 1969. "'Superiority' goes to jail." Miami Herald, May 28: 3. —. 1969. "Who's villain of kidnap case?" Miami Herald, March 9: 19. Miller, Gene. 1969. "Krist gets life in prison avter jury grants mercy." Miami Herald, May 27: 1. —. 1969. "'Life imprisonment worse than death'." Miami Herald, May 27: 16. Miller, Gene, and Barbara Mackle. 1971. Eighty-Three Hours till Dawn. New York, NY: Doubleday. Murray, Frank. 1968. "Researcher and 2 sought in kidnap." Atlanta Constitution, December 20: 1. New York Times. 1968. "Ransom pickup inadvertently foiled by Miami police." New York Times, December 20. Raines, Howell. 1979. "Parole of a kidnapper angers Atlanta." New York Times, May 14: A14. Sosin, Milt. 1969. "FBI hunts Ruth's 'flight pal'." Miami News, March 6: 1. —. 1969. "Ruth: Everyone is against me." Miami News, March 7: 1. United Press International. 1968. "Gunman and 'boy' kidnapp 20-year-old coed, Florida millionaire's daughter." New York Times, December 18: 25. Vissar, Steve. 2006. "The strange odyssey of Gary Krist; From kidnapper to prisoner to doctor to alleged drug smuggler." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of December 17, 1968, two gunmen burst into the Atlanta motel room of Barbara Jane Mackle and her mother, Jane. After tying up and chloroforming Jane Mackle, the two kidnapped Barbara, forcing her into their car at gunpoint. Later that day, a family friend received a call at the Mackle home in Florida, instructing them to look in the northwest corner of the Mackle’s yard, where they would find a ransom note with details about how to ensure their daughter’s safe return. Once the note was unearthed, the Mackle’s learned their daughter had been placed inside a box and buried in the ground in a remote location. She has enough food, water, and air to survive for a few days, but if the family doesn’t act quickly, there’s a good chance Barbara will die The kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle was an elaborately planned, well-executed crime that quickly dominated local and national headlines, which was no small feat in a year of major social upheaval. By the 1960s, kidnapping for ransom was a familiar concept, but to be kidnapped and buried alive was a terrifying thought that shook Americans to their core and left everyone wondering, what kind of person could do such a thing? Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Associated Press. 1968. "Kidnapped college girl found safe in box underground." Los Angeles Times, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Mackle kidnapping suspect capturted; $480,000 recovered." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl tells of ordeal of 83 hours entombed in box." New York Times, December 29: 44. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl, buried alive, is freed." New York Times, December 21: 1. Atlanta Constitution. 1968. "80-hour burial ends in rescue." Atlanta Constitution, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Motel coed kidnapped here spurs nationwide alert for 2." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Foreman, Laura. 1968. "Campus silent about the girl." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Gary Steven Krist v. State of Georgia. 1970. 227 Ga. 85 (Ga. 1970) (Supreme Court of Georgia, December 3). Markowitz, Arnold. 1969. "Plea of Innocent entered for Krist." Miami Herald, March 8: 1. Miami Herald. 1969. "Krist collapses; is being force-fed." Miami Herald, April 25: 4. —. 1969. "'Superiority' goes to jail." Miami Herald, May 28: 3. —. 1969. "Who's villain of kidnap case?" Miami Herald, March 9: 19. Miller, Gene. 1969. "Krist gets life in prison avter jury grants mercy." Miami Herald, May 27: 1. —. 1969. "'Life imprisonment worse than death'." Miami Herald, May 27: 16. Miller, Gene, and Barbara Mackle. 1971. Eighty-Three Hours till Dawn. New York, NY: Doubleday. Murray, Frank. 1968. "Researcher and 2 sought in kidnap." Atlanta Constitution, December 20: 1. New York Times. 1968. "Ransom pickup inadvertently foiled by Miami police." New York Times, December 20. Raines, Howell. 1979. "Parole of a kidnapper angers Atlanta." New York Times, May 14: A14. Sosin, Milt. 1969. "FBI hunts Ruth's 'flight pal'." Miami News, March 6: 1. —. 1969. "Ruth: Everyone is against me." Miami News, March 7: 1. United Press International. 1968. "Gunman and 'boy' kidnapp 20-year-old coed, Florida millionaire's daughter." New York Times, December 18: 25. Vissar, Steve. 2006. "The strange odyssey of Gary Krist; From kidnapper to prisoner to doctor to alleged drug smuggler." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! Everyone Rejoice!! September is upon us! Let's welcome the 'BER' months with the FOURTH installment of Spooky Lighthouses! Today Alaina & Ash talk about the morbid history of two lighthouses: The Cape Romain Lighthouse in South Carolina & Little Ross Lighthouse in Scotland! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos!! It’s our second SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE brought to YOU by our friends at Audible! Today we’re joined by one of our besties, Sabrina from 2 Girls 1 Ghost to chat about Grady Hendrix's, “My Best Friends Exorcism”! Join the “Weirdos’ Audiobook Club’ AND the conversation as we talk about our favorite characters, themes, and scenes! Haven’t listened yet? Don’t worry about it, friend! Go to Audible.com/weirdos for YOUR free trial! And don’t forget to click the episode post on Instagram to comment YOUR favorite part of the book, and discuss with other Weirdos who enjoyed the title, as well! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! The Time has come for Listener Tales! We have a great batch of stories brought TO you, BY you, For you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! On today's episode, we tell tales of babysitting for a murderer, a story from our best friend (we're so sorry we accidentally speak over you in the car!! a story about being a ghost writer for an abusive ex, and a nephew who had tea parties with deceased relatives! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of June 7, 1992, best friends and recent high school graduates Suzie Streeter and Stacy McCall finished up their graduation festivities and headed back to Suzie’s house that she shared with her mother, Sherill Levitt. When the girls failed to meet their friends for a planned trip the following day, two of those friends went by Levitt’s house to check on them. Despite all three women’s cars being parked in the driveway and the front door being unlocked, no one was home. Perhaps more alarming was the fact that the purses, wallets, and other items of all three women were still at the house, and the television in Streeter’s bedroom had been left on. Hours later, when the three still hadn’t been seen or heard from, Stacy McCall’s mother called the police and reported them missing. For months the case of the “Springfield Three” dominated headlines in and around the city of Springfield, Missouri and consumed a massive amount of law enforcement resources; yet leads and evidence were sparse, and it seemed to many that the three missing women had simply vanished into thin air. In the thirty years since they went missing, the investigation has produced a number of compelling leads and potential suspects, but none have produced any answers or arrests and the disappearance of the Springfield Three remains one of the city’s most baffling mysteries. Anyone with information about the disappearance is encouraged to contact the Springfield Police at (417) 864-1810 or place an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at (417) 869-8477. Tips and information can also be submitted online at P3tips.com. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Barnes, Deborah, and Traci Bauer. 1992. "Frantic families watchful for trio." Springfield News-Leader, June 9: 3. Bauer, Traci. 1992. "Three women vanish." Springfield News-Leader, June 9: 1. Benson, Ana. 2021. The Disappearance of the Springfield Three. Duluth, MN: Trellis Publishing. Bentley, Chris , and Robert Keyes. 1992. "Police follow transient lead." Springfield News-Leader, June 16: 1. Bentley, Chris. 1992. "Disappearance leaves woman's son 'frantic'." Springfield News-Leader, June 10: 1. Clark, Christopher. 1992. "Who could be so cruel? Friends shake their heads." Speingfield News-Leader, June 10: 1. Clark, Christopher, Traci Bauer, and Chris Bentley. 1992. "Typical teenagers, a loving mother." Springfield News-Ledger, June 10: 14. Davis, Ron. 1992. "Troubled." Springfield News-Leader, June 26: 1. Keyes, Robert. 1996. "Inmate to go 'under microscope'." Springfield News-Leader, January 19: 1. —. 1996. "Missing women case leads police to Texas." Springfield News-Leader, January 2: 1. —. 1992. "Streeter's brother passes polygraph." Springfield News-Leader, June 12: 6. —. 1996. "Talk with inmate leads to 'nothing shattering'." Springfield News-Leader, January 20: 1. —. 2006. "Three Missing women: Ten years later." Springfield News-Leader, June 8. —. 1992. "Too many felonies." Springfield News-Leader, July 11: 1. —. 1992. "Waitress gives clue." Springfield News-Leader, June 24: 1. —. 1992. "'We're doing all we can'." Springfield News-Leader, June 21: 9. O'Dell, Kathleen. 1992. "A sixth sense about a baffling case." Springfield News-Leader, June 28: 1. Reid, Kyani. 2022. 30 years later family still seeking answers in the disappearance of three Springfield, Missouri women. June 12. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/30-years-later-family-still-seeking-answers-disappearance-three-springfield-n1296285. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the winter of 1968, reporter Bill Gibbons got an anonymous call from a man who wanted to confess to three murders in the small town of Gaffney, South Carolina. Gibbons thought the call was a prank, but he took it to the sheriff and the two men travel out to the first of three locations where the caller claimed to have left the bodies. After searching casually through the underbrush for a short time, the men discover the nude body of twenty-year-old Nancy Carol Paris, who’d been strangled to death. At the second location, they discovered the body of fourteen-year-old Tina Rhinehart, who appeared to have been killed in the same manner as Paris. Investigators soon learned that the third location the caller gave was where police had discovered the body of Annie Dedmond six months earlier. In the days that followed, the “Gaffney Strangler,” as the press would come to call him, would contact Gibbons several more times, demanding that he print stories about the murders in the newspaper. He also insisted that Gibbons and the sheriff’s department needed to do something about the fact that Annie Dedmond’s husband, Roger, was sitting in jail for Annie’s murder. Then, a week later, the strangler struck again, this time kidnapping fifteen-year-old Opal Buckson in broad daylight, throwing her in the trunk of his car while her sister watched helplessly. Opal’s body would be discovered a week later, dead like the others. A few days after the discovery of Opal’s body, police arrested Lee Roy Martin, a local mill worker and father of three who’d been born and raised in Gaffney. The arrest shocked the local residents and left everyone wondering, in a town as small as Gaffney, how could they have lived their entire lives with a violent psychopath and never known it? Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Charlotte Observer. 1972. "About Roger Dedmond, convicted of killing his wife." Charlotte Observer, November 7: 30. 2015. A Crime to Remember. Directed by Christine Connor. Performed by Christine Connor. Dalton, Robert, and Craig Peters. 2009. Gaffney Strangler terrorized town 40 years ago, murdering 4 women. July 5. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2009/07/05/gaffney-strangler-terrorized-town-40-years-ago-murdering-4-women/29885910007/. Fuller, Bill, and Jack Horan. 1968. "Dog only murder witness?" Charlotte Observer, February 10: 1. Gaffney Ledger. 1968. "Attorneys ask court transcript of trial." Gaffney Ledger, February 21: 1. —. 1968. "Officers search well; find Opal's clothing." Gaffney Ledger, February 28: 1. Howe, Claudia. 1968. "Grim mystery, violent deaths engulf Gaffney." Charlotte Observer, February 14: 10. Jones, Mark R. 2007. Palmetto Predators: Monsters Among Us. Charleston, SC: The History Press. Martin, Tommy. 1988. "Lives of golf pro, texile worker crossed paths on February 13, 1968." Gaffney Ledger, February 5: 4. —. 1968. "Martin sentenced to life in prison." Gaffney Ledger, September 19: 1. McCuen, Sam E. 1968. "Crank telephone calls plague Gaffney police." The State, February 16: 19. —. 1968. "Gaffney girl is kidnapped." The State, February 14: 1. —. 1968. "Mother convinced her son innocent." The State, February 9: 1. Skipp, Catherine. 2009. "Gaffney, S.C. haunted by murderous memories ." Newsweek, July 8. The Gaffney Ledger. 1968. "Martin is charged in 3 stranglings." Gaffney Ledger, February 19: 1. The State. 1968. "2 bodies found after phone call." The State, February 9: 1. —. 1968. "Suspect attempts suicide." The State, February 21: 15. Truluck, Jack. 1968. "In-laws believe Dedmond is guilty." Gaffney Ledger, February 21: 1. United Press International. 1968. "Lee Roy Martin indicted in 4 Gaffney stranglings." Greenville News, May 21: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the afternoon of March 25, 1934, Belle Bradley found one of her tenants, forty-five-year-old Eric Madison, dead on the floor of the apartment he rented with his wife, Nellie. Madison had been shot in the back four times with a .32 caliber revolver and there was no sign of Nellie Madison, nor was there any evidence of a break-in or a robbery. In the days that followed, investigators quickly determined that Nellie had shot her husband and they tracked her to a remote cabin in northern California, where she was arrested and taken back to Los Angeles and charged with the murder. To the Los Angeles police and press, Nellie Madison was suspicious from the very start; not for any obvious reason or evidence against her, but because she openly defied the categories and characteristics used to define a wife and woman at the time. Although she was only thirty-three years old, she had been married five times and yet had no children. She also had a strong skillset from having worked many jobs, and having been raised on a farm in Montana, she was a skilled survivalist who had never needed the help of a man. Going into the murder trial, it was these facts, more than any physical evidence or witness testimony, that would count against her. After a two-week trial, Nellie Madison was found guilty for the murder of her husband and sentenced to death, making her the first woman to ever sit on death row in the state’s history. However, Nellie’s death sentence was hardly the end of her case; in fact, it was the turning point in the story that would finally bring the truth about Eric’s death into the light. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Cairns, Kathleen. 2005. "Saved From the Gallows." California Supreme Court Historical Society 5-14. —. 2007. The Enigma Woman: The Death Sentence of Nellie May Madison. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. 2015. A Crime to Remember. Television. Directed by Christine Connor. Accessed July 23, 2024. Los Angeles Evening Post-Record. 1934. "Calls woman Lady Macbeth." Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, June 20: 1. —. 1934. "Hint Madison is still alive." Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, June 13: 1. —. 1934. "Mrs. Madison facinc noose; plans appeal." Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, June 23: 1. —. 1934. "Self defense may be argued." Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, June 6: 1. —. 1934. "Widow unmoved by death story." Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, April 12: 7. Los Angeles Times. 1934. "Auditor found slain; wife hunted in inquiry." Los Angeles Times, March 26: 15. —. 1934. "Death clew hunt pushed." Los Angeles Times, April 1: 17. —. 1934. "Death plea hits widow." Los Angeles Times, June 20: 17. —. 1934. "Deatn case widow mum." Los Angeles Times, Marchh 27: 19. —. 1934. "Doubt cast on identity." Los Angeles Times, June 14: 17. —. 1934. "Madison may be exhumed." Los Angeles Times, June 16: 13. —. 1934. "Second pistol bought by Mrs. Madison hunted in mysrtery murder case." Los Angeles Times, March 28: 5. —. 1934. "Slaying of mate denied." Los Angeles Times, June 15: 36. —. 1934. "Widow veils death tale." Los Angeles Times, March 28: 17. Rasmussen, Cecilia. 2007. "Unwitting pioneer of the battered-woman defense." Los Angeles Times, February 4. The People of California v. Nellie May Madison. 1935. 3826 (Supreme Court of the State of California, May 27). Underwood, Agness. 1934. "Widow weeps when held in murder quiz." Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, March 29: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium in 1898, the chemical element was quickly adopted by manufacturers for its luminescent properties that would go on to be used in, among other things, the painting of clock faces, watches, and instrument panels, allowing them to be seen in the dark. At the time, the introduction of radioluminescent materials into manufacturing was hailed as a scientific solution to an age-old frustration, but it didn’t take long before that solution was shown to have terrible consequences. As a radioactive element, radium is highly toxic to humans, particularly when ingested or inhaled. While it seemed unlikely that anyone would ingest or inhale the radium used to paint a clockface, this fact posed a serious problem for the largely female factory workers whose job it was to paint the dials. These “Radium Girls,” as they would come to be known, not only spent most of their day in close proximity to the paint, but also employed a technique in which they frequently wet their paintbrushes with their mouths, consuming small amounts of radium in the process. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, hundreds of young women working in at least three radium dial factories in the United States suffered deadly radiation poisoning as a result of working so closely with radium, all without any safety protocols and completely unaware of the dangers. After dozens of deaths, a group of factory workers successfully sued their employers for damages, exposing the widespread disregard for worker safety. While the suits were generally a major victory for the American labor movement, it was ultimately hard-won and little comfort to those who would die within a few years. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Camden Courier-Post. 1928. "Woman radium victim offers living body to aid in search for cure." Courier-Post, May 29: 1. eGov Newswire. 2021. "Menedez leads colleagues in introducing senate resolution to honor the lives and legacy of the 'Radium Girls'." eGov Newswire, June 26. Evening Courier. 1927. "Radium poison victims want damage suit limits raised." Evening Courier, July 19: 2. Galant, Debbie. 1996. "Living with a radium nightmare." New York Times, September 29: NJ1. Lang, Daniel. 1959. "A most valuable accident." New Yorker, April 24: 49. McAndrew, Tara McClellan. 2018. The Radium Girls: An Illinois Tragedy. January 25. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.nprillinois.org/equity-justice/2018-01-25/the-radium-girls-an-illinois-tragedy. Moore, Kate. 2017. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women. New York, NY: Sourcebooks. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. n.d. Radium Girls: The Story of US Radium’s Superfund Site. Environmental Preservation Snapshot, Orange, NJ: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. New York Times. 1928. "Finds no bar to suit by radium victims." New York Times, May 23: 11. Prisco, Jacopo. 2017. "Radium Girls: The dark times of luminous watches." CNN, December 19. United Press. 1928. "Woman, dying by degrees, tells of symptoms of radium posioning." Courier-News, May 16: 6. —. 1928. "3 more are victims of radiun poisoning." Evening Courier, May 22: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.