Best Darlene Hildreth and Melody Gwyn Podcasts (2025)

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110. The Murder of Dr. Cozart in Fuquay-Varina | True Crime in Wake County 29:57

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7d ago29:57

29:57

In the early 1950s, the quiet community then known as Fuquay Springs - today's Fuquay-Varina in Wake County, North Carolina - was shaken by the violent killing of Dr. Cozart, a respected local physician. His sudden death stunned the town and left behind questions that linger more than a century later. In this episode, we revisit the case of Dr. Coz…

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109.The Rowan County Axe Murders: The Lyerly Family 1:11:29

21d ago1:11:29

1:11:29

In July of 1906, Rowan County, North Carolina, was shaken by one of the most brutal crimes in state history. Isaac Lyerly, his wife Augusta, and two of their young children were murdered in their farmhouse near Barber Junction. Bludgeoned with the family’s own axe and left in a fire meant to destroy the evidence, the crime horrified Salisbury and q…

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108. A Shot in the Dark: The Barbara Stager Case 1:27:02

1M ago1:27:02

1:27:02

In February 1988, a single gunshot shattered the quiet of a Durham, North Carolina, neighborhood. Barbara Stager told police her husband Russ's death was a tragic accident. But as investigators dug deeper, the picture-perfect image of a devoted wife began to crack. In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we step back into the 1980s Durham - a …

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107. Paradise Lost: The Chillingworth Murders of 1950s Florida 53:21

2M ago53:21

53:21

In the warm summer of 1955, Judge Curtis Chillingworth, Florida’s youngest ever circuit judge and a man known for his fairness would vanish from his beachside cottage in Manalapan, just south of West Palm Beach. His wife, Marjorie, disappeared with him. Footprints led to the sea and never came back. What followed was one of Florida’s most shocking …

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106. A Crime, A Conversion, A Controversy: The Karla Faye Tucker Case 55:42

2M ago55:42

55:42

In 1983, a brutal double homicide in Houston, Texas shocked the public—not just because of the violence, but because of who was eventually held responsible. Karla Faye Tucker, a 23-year-old woman with a troubled past, quickly became one of the most controversial figures in modern true crime history. But this isn’t just a story about murder. It’s ab…

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MINI Episode - A Supernatural Turn in the Welch Family Case 20:47

2M ago20:47

20:47

In this special mini-episode, we revisit 102. Murder on Route 66: The Welch Family Tragedy with a surprising update. You can listen to the original episode here: https://www.hardtimesandtruecrimes.com/102 One of the individuals directly connected to the original case recently reached out to share his personal account - a version of events that incl…

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105. North Carolina's First Serial Killer: The Chilling Confession of Asbury Respus 57:14

3M ago57:14

57:14

In 1931, a little girl named Vera Leonard vanished while waiting for the school bus in Guilford County, NC. Hours later, her body was found in the ashes of her burned-down home. The man arrested—“Will Moore”—turned out to be an escaped convict named Asbury Respus, who would go on to confess not only to Vera’s murder but to as many as nine others ac…

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104. Burned Alive: The Martyrdom of Graham Staines and His Sons in India 30:21

3M ago30:21

30:21

In this gripping true crime episode, we explore the harrowing and heartbreaking story of Graham Staines, an Australian missionary who was burned alive along with his two young sons by a radical mob in Odisha, India, in 1999. Even in the face of horrific violence, forgiveness and faith can speak louder than hate. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and …

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103. Moonshine and Murder in the Smoky Mountains: The Perry’s Camp Murders of 1949 1:05:50

4M ago1:05:50

1:05:50

In 1949, deep in the Smoky Mountains of Sevier County, Tennessee, a savage double murder shattered the stillness of a quiet Appalachian community. Charlie Perry—a former Knoxville bootlegger turned tourist camp owner—and his longtime housekeeper, Josie Law, were brutally killed in their home at Perry’s Camp, a rustic riverside lodge in Flat Branch …

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102. Murder On Route 66: The Welch Family Tragedy 34:36

4M ago34:36

34:36

In June 1961, JD and Utha Welch packed up their car, their four young sons, and headed west from Oklahoma to visit family in California. It was supposed to be a simple road trip — a summer memory in the making. But one quiet night near Seligman, Arizona, while the boys slept in a canvas pup tent, JD and Utha were gunned down in cold blood as they r…

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101. Boy in the Walls: The Daniel LaPlante Horror Story 47:40

5M ago47:40

47:40

Show Notes: In 1986, Tina and Karen Bowen were just teenage girls when their mother passed away from cancer. Not long after, strange things started happening in their home. Knocking from inside the walls. Furniture moved. Objects disappeared. Messages scrawled in red across the bedroom walls: 💬 “I’m in your room. Come and find me.” The girls though…

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100. The Pied Piper of Tucson: Charles Schmid's Deadly Reign Over 1960s Arizona 58:25

5M ago58:25

58:25

In this chilling episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive deep into the twisted tale of Charles Schmid, the manipulative and charismatic serial killer who terrorized the young women of Tucson, Arizona, during the 1960s. Known as the Pied Piper of Tucson, Schmid lured teenage girls with his Elvis-like charm, eerie makeup, and bizarre swagger -…

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99. A Deadly Obsession: The Murder Of Olga Duncan 56:13

5M ago56:13

56:13

📍 Episode Summary: In 1958, 30-year-old nurse Olga Duncan vanished from her Santa Barbara apartment. She was newly married, seven months pregnant, and full of hope for the future. But what no one could’ve imagined was that the person behind her disappearance wasn’t a stranger… it was someone much closer to home. This week on Hard Times & True Crime…

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98. The Doctor's Wife: A Searcy, Arkansas Murder Story 1:16:45

6M ago1:16:45

1:16:45

In 1974, the quiet town of Searcy, Arkansas, was shaken by the shocking murder of Fern Rodgers, the wife of local physician Dr. Porter Rodgers. What seemed like a tragic crime soon unraveled as more information came to light that implicated not one, not two, but three suspects. If you love Southern true crime, mysteries, and small-town scandals, th…

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97. Blood in the Quarter: The 1927 Louisiana Trunk Murders 46:07

6M ago46:07

46:07

🎙️ Hard Times & True Crimes Show Notes: In the fall of 1927, New Orleans was buzzin’ with jazz, bootleg liquor, and secrets behind every shuttered window. But nothing prepared the city for what was found inside a quiet little apartment at 715 Ursulines Street. Two women—Theresa Moity and her sister, Leonide Dwyer—were brutally murdered, dismembered…

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96. A True Crime Mystery Solved: The Murders of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen Doyle 1:02:44

6M ago1:02:44

1:02:44

In this gripping episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we uncover the hauntingly intertwined stories of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen Doyle - two women connected by tragedy and a ruthless predator who evaded justice for decades. We begin with Aundria’s heartbreaking journey: a young girl adopted into what seemed like a loving family, only to face un…

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95.Caril Ann Fugate: Hostage or Accomplice? The Truth Behind the Starkweather Murder Spree 1:19:24

7M ago1:19:24

1:19:24

Episode Summary: This week, we’re diving into one of the most notorious crime sprees in American history—the 1958 murder rampage of Charlie Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. Was Caril Ann Fugate a hostage or an accomplice? Did she have chances to escape, or was she trapped in a nightmare she couldn’t control? We’ll walk you through the murders, th…

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94.Sean Patrick Goble: The Serial Killer Truck Driver 43:52

7M ago43:52

43:52

🔎 Episode Summary: Truck stops, open highways, and a killer hiding in plain sight—Sean Patrick Goble was a long-haul trucker with a dark secret. 🚚💀 In the early 1990s, Goble crisscrossed the country, using his job as a cover to prey on vulnerable women leading to multiple murders. But what led to his capture? And could there be more victims authori…

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93. The Gaffney Strangler: Murder, Mystery and Sweet Potato Pone in South Carolina 42:18

7M ago42:18

42:18

🔊 Narrator: Curtis Hildreth 🎼 Music by: Isaiah Hildreth Episode Summary: In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we take you back to Gaffney, South Carolina, a small Southern town known for its peaches, its mill-town roots… and one of the most chilling murder sprees in state history. Between 1967 and 1968, the community was terrorized by a man…

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92. The 1983 Murder of Kathleen Bedsole by David Duren in Birmingham Alabama 33:04

7M ago33:04

33:04

In this episode, we revisit the dark case of Kathleen Bedsole's murder in 1983, and the attempted murder of Charles Leonard, Jr., a crime that shook the communities surrounding Birmingham, Alabama to their core. We delve into the disturbed mind of David Duren, the man accused of the brutal killing, and unravel the events that led to one of the most…

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91.Love Lost: The Valentine’s Day Murders of Jesse McBane & Patricia Mann in Durham, North Carolina 42:07

7M ago42:07

42:07

Episode Summary: On Valentine’s Day 1971, a young couple Jesse McBane and Patricia Mann vanished after a romantic night in Durham, North Carolina. Days later, their bound and strangled bodies were discovered deep in the woods. Their deaths were no accident—this was a meticulously staged murder. Over 50 years later, the case remains unsolved. Who wa…

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90. Deadly Connection: The 2006 Chatroom Murder 44:41

8M ago44:41

44:41

In this episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive into a chilling case that highlights the dark side of online interactions. In the early 2000s, an internet chatroom became the setting for a deadly deception - what started as a seemingly harmless online friendship between marine_sniper and talhotblond, turned into a love triangle that ended in…

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89. Murder at Muddy Creek: The Ida Ball Warren Case in Winston Salem, North Carolina 38:32

8M ago38:32

38:32

In this episode, we delve into the lesser-known case of Ida Ball Warren, a woman from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, whose story shocked the state in 1914. It all began with the discovery of a body in Muddy Creek—a chilling find that, months later, would unravel a dark web of secrets and lead investigators straight to the man's own house. What You’…

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88. Mayberry's Dark Day: The 1951 Bombing in Mount Airy, North Carolina 30:25

8M ago30:25

30:25

On New Year's Day 1951, a respected member of the Mt. Airy community was targeted in a car bombing. He was a teacher, a new husband, the son of a police chief, and an upstanding citizen. It took two years for the bomber to be apprehended when they targeted another victim. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: Pic…

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87. Murder in the North Carolina Mountains: Nancy Ann Kerley 45:24

8M ago45:24

45:24

In 1913 Nancy Ann Kerley's name became infamous in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. Her story remains a chilling legend in the region's history. Listen to this episode to find out why. Music By Memphis Robinson Gora Sources: newspapers.com findagrave.com https://www.facebook.com/LadyFromTheMountains13/posts/the-legend-of-nance-dude-ston…

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86. Charlie and Frankie Silver: Tragedy in Western North Carolina 48:23

9M ago48:23

48:23

Days before Christmas in 1831, Charlie Silver went missing from his home, leaving behind a young wife and baby. In the mountains of Western North Carolina, his family searched to no avail. Unfortunately, Charlie was eventually found but not all in one piece. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Narrator of The Ballad Of …

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85. The Ashland, Kentucky Murders of 1881 (Pt.2) 48:10

9M ago48:10

48:10

On Christmas Eve in 1881, the bodies of three teenagers were found in a burning house. The brutal way in which they were killed would shock the country. Listen to the conclusion of the story on this episode. Music By Riley Hildreth Sources: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~kycarter/journals/neal_craft_murder.htm The Story of the First Hanging in Carter …

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84. The Ashland Kentucky Murders of 1881 (Pt. 1) 40:56

10M ago40:56

40:56

On Christmas Eve in 1881, the bodies of three teenagers were found in a burning house in Ashland, Kentucky. The brutal way that they died would shock not only the community, but the entire nation. Music by Isaiah and Riley Hildreth Sources: findagrave.com wikipedia.com The Ashland Tragedy: MURDER, A MOB & A MILITIA IN KENTUCKY by Joe Castle and JM …

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83. The Morgan Murders: Cumming, Georgia 39:33

10M ago39:33

39:33

The residents of Cumming, Georgia were in an uproar in 1972 after two sheriff deputies were murdered. Just months later, in the same vicinity, a middle-aged couple was murdered in their bed and the community was on edge. Were the killings connected? Could it be retaliation or was it something else altogether? Was anyone else in danger? Narrator: Cu…

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82. Thanksgiving- Eve Murders of the Germond Family 45:21

10M ago45:21

45:21

On Thanksgiving Eve in 1930 , a dairy farming family of four were brutally murdered. Their deaths shocked the nation. Ninety-five years later, the murders are still unsolved. Listen to the episode to see if you think you know who the killer is. Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: findagrave.com newspapers.com modernfarmer…

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81. The Thanksgiving Massacre: Jupiter, Florida 54:04

10M ago54:04

54:04

On Thanksgiving Night, in 2009, Paul Merhige joined his family for their annual get-together. He had not been invited but decided to attend anyway. He called his father to get directions to his cousin's home and his father complied. What happened after he arrived that evening was a nightmare that tore the family apart. Sources: https://www.newspape…

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80. The Murder of Crystal Faye Todd in Conway, South Carolina 55:11

11M ago55:11

55:11

In 1991, seventeen year old Crystal Faye Todd didn't come after a night out with friends. Her mother instinctively knew something was wrong. Listen to the story of the disappearance, rape and brutal murder of an all-American girl from Conway, South Carolina. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com findagrave.com Forensic Files Southern Fri…

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79. Undark: The Story of The Radium Girls 53:00

11M ago53:00

53:00

With the discovery of radium by the Curies in 1898, great strides were made in the scientific field. Along with the possibilities were risks not yet known. One of the inventions - luminous paint- made painting watch dials big business in the early 1900s. But within two decades the dangers were coming to light. Sources: Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Int…

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78. The Real Exorcist: The Terrifying Story of Ronald Edwin Hunkeler 40:36

11M ago40:36

40:36

In 1973 a movie opened in theaters that scared the nation - The Exorcist. But you may not be aware that it was based on true events that took place in 1949. Billy Graham urged audiences not to see it due to its depiction of evil, but audiences continued to flock to see it for its scare factor. These are the details of what happened and the truth is…

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77. Witches or Martyrs: The Salem Witch Trials 1:17:57

11M ago1:17:57

1:17:57

The trials began in 1692 when a group of young girls in the Puritan village of Salem, Massachusetts claimed they were being tormented by local women who were practicing witchcraft. Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music by Isaiah Hildreth Sources: Killing Witches by Bill O’Riley O'Reilly, B., & Dugard, M. (2023). Killing the Witches: The Horror of Sa…

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76. Carnage in Carthage: North Carolina's Deadliest Mass Shooting 50:36

12M ago50:36

50:36

A rocky marriage, a controlling husband, an estranged wife, and alcohol addiction; a destructive combination that led down a deadly path and ultimately ended in tragedy for several families. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-4948199 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage_nursing_ho…

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75. A Murder Farm in Quiet Dell, West Virginia 1:09:04

12M ago1:09:04

1:09:04

In August 1931, police were investigating the disappearances of Asta Eicher and her three children. They found love letters, which led them to a man named Harry Powers in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. Nespresso Vertuo Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/4eO75xy Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com findagrave.com wik…

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74. Evil On The Well-Deserved: Tom and Jackie Hawks 50:17

1y ago50:17

50:17

To retire early and live their days sailing on a yacht is the dream of many a couple. Some actually get to live that dream. Such was the case for Tom and Jackie Hawks until the day another dream came true - a grandbaby was on the way. When the couple decided to sell their yacht and move closer to family, they thought they had found the perfect fami…

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73. Mean Marie's Revenge 35:39

1y ago35:39

35:39

Marie Dean Arrington was a professional criminal in Florida during the 1960's. After she committed a brutal murder, Marie became the second woman to be put on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Male Narrator- Curtis Hildreth Music by Isaiah Hildreth Sources Find a Grave findagrave.com Wikipedia wikipedia.com Murderpedia Southern Mysteries Podcast Amazon P…

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72. Murder in Asheboro - The Melissa Mickey Story 1:01:22

1y ago1:01:22

1:01:22

The murder of a mother of two in a small town in Randolph County has investigators baffled. She had no enemies to speak of. Sometimes an enemy is closer than we think though and is not someone we consider an enemy. One man is arrested and one man turns himself in. The question is did they work together or did one work alone? Narrator: Curtis Hildre…

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71. Peggy Carr- A Polk County Murder 1:09:34

1y ago1:09:34

1:09:34

The 1988 murder of 41 year old Peggy Carr is one of the most bizarre crimes in Polk County Florida history. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Narrator-Curtis Hildreth Sources newspapers.com Poison Mind : The True Story of the Mensa Murderer and the Policewoman who Risked her Life to Bring Him to Justice By Jeffrey Good and Susan Goreck Justialaw The Murder …

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70. The Donner Party Tragedy 50:31

1y ago50:31

50:31

A group of families headed west to California in the spring of 1846 during the Westward Expansion movement. They were well provisioned for the journey that was expected to take them 4-6 months. But one delay after another along with a bad leadership decision turned the trip into a nightmare. Never take a shortcut that has not been proven; it could …

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69. The Murder of Poor Ellen Smith from Winston Salem 36:11

1y ago36:11

36:11

In 1894, poor Ellen Smith was murdered by her ne-er do- well lover, Peter DeGraff in Winston-Salem, NC. This episode will cover a short background, the murder, trial and execution of Peter DeGraff. The story was made famous by a late nineteenth century murder ballad named Poor Ellen Smith that Peter DeGraff supposedly wrote in prison while awaiting…

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68. Murder in Pennsylvania Amish Country 58:16

1y ago58:16

58:16

Edward and Katie Gingerich lived among their people, the Amish, in the early 1990s. When Ed started having various physical ailments and then mental anguish, the church tried to step in but nothing seemed to help; not herbal supplements, prescribed medicines, or hospitalization. This is the story of how Ed became the first Amish person in the US to…

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67. Lost Boys of the Allegheny Mountains 35:43

1y ago35:43

35:43

In the spring of 1856, two brothers, seven year old George and five year old Joseph wondered off together from their cabin home in the Alleghenies Mountains of Pennsylvania. Listen to hear their tragic story. Allison Krauss Music Video Jacob's Dream https://youtu.be/sUtNRK3tYgg?si=TMerX-xqoij1dUGn Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music by Isaiah Hild…

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66. What Happened On The BlueBelle: Terry Jo Duperrault 35:04

1y ago35:04

35:04

After a harrowing shipwreck at sea, Captain Julian Harvey was rescued just off the coast of the Bahamas in November 1961. He is pulled from a dinghy along with a deceased seven-year-old girl but none of the other passengers are found. Miraculously, four days later another survivor of the nightmare is rescued and she is barely alive. Her story of th…

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65. Paul Dennis Reid: Nashville's Fast Food Serial Killer 57:12

1+ y ago57:12

57:12

Paul Dennis Reid also known as The Fast Food Killer is Nashville’s most notorious serial Killer. He was convicted and given seven death sentences for murdering seven people from various fast food restaurants in the Nashville area. Sources: Narrator for today’s episode Darlene Hildreth Music Isaiah Hildreth Intro Written by Sherry White Sources: Whe…

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64. The Icebox Murders: Fred and Edwina Rogers 24:58

1+ y ago24:58

24:58

Sometimes a simple "welfare check" for someone's safety turns out to be more than investigators bargained for. For the Houston Police Department in 1965, this was the case when a man called in concerned about his elderly aunt and uncle. What they found when they got inside was a nauseating scene. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isa…

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63. The Ceely Rose Murders 1:17:36

1+ y ago1:17:36

1:17:36

On June 1896, Ceely Rose poisoned her family with arsenic because they wouldn't let her see or speak the name of their neighbor, Guy Berry. Her father, David, died within a week of being poisoned. Walter, her brother, died within two weeks and Rebecca, her mother, lived for a month before getting a second dose and then dying. Listen to hear the who…

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62. Lobster Boy - Grady Stiles, Jr. 33:14

1+ y ago33:14

33:14

Since the 1840s the Stiles family had passed down a rare condition called Ectrodactyly that makes the hands look like lobster claws. Grady Stiles turned his family's condition into a lucrative business performing in the traveling carnival. The family was one of the main attractions for many years. But after years of dysfunction, the family became k…

Darlene Hildreth And Melody Gwyn Podcasts