What killed Kathy Wangler is known. Kathy, a wife and mother of two, was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in her upstairs bedroom on September 4, 2006. What is not so clear is how this happened. Some believe it was a tragic accident set off by a faulty water heater inside the home. Others believe it was something more sinister and calculat…

Rachael talks about our last three cryptids of this spooky season: the Black Annis, the Jersey Devil, and The Dover Demon. Which one will become Small Town Mysteries' Cryptid Congeniality? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Annis 2) https://monster.fandom.com/wiki/Black_Annis 3) https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2023/1…

A Halloween party turned sour. What happened to Arpana Jinaga? And why did the cops immediately zero in on one suspect, when several people at the party exhibited suspicious behaviors? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redmond,_Washington 2) https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/emanuel-fair-trial-lawsuit-dna-murder-charge-1…

Tonight, Christine transports us all to prom. But there are no humans to be found at this prom. Oh no. This is a prom for the Cryptids. The theme? Under the Sea. And it is up to us and YOU to decide who is crowned our Cryptid King! Get out your writing utensils or note app on your phone and decide which of our contenders deserves the esteemed title…

Sometime between late October 30th and early Oct 31, 2010, William “B.J.” Liske murdered his father, stepmother, and his stepbrother. The family was murdered in their own home located in Martin, Ohio. Sources: 1) https://www.toledoblade.com/local/courts/2011/09/15/Liske-gets-life-for-deaths-of-3/stories/201109150097 2) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/…

This week on Cryptid Chaos, Kate talks about Chupacabra and Mothman! Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra 2) https://www.britannica.com/topic/chupacabra 3) https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mythic-creatures/land/modern-myths 4) https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/ology-cards/281-chupacabra 5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Bridg…

In this heartbreaking case, Kennedy Ife's family attempted to exorcise what they believed to be a "demon" out of him, but unfortunately ended up killing their own relative. Sources: 1) https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exorcism-possession-uk-london-death-kennedy-ife-parents-family-brothers-restrained-a8763026.html 2) https://vocal.media/c…

In September of 1999, Ronald Cohen had just finalized the sale of his home in Jericho, New York, where he had lived for the previous nine years. In cleaning out his home for the new owners, he came across something startling in his basement–left behind from the previous owner of the house and weighing about 300 pounds. Its discovery would reopen a …

On March 25, 2003, Shonda Dee Walter murdered her elderly neighbor, James E. Sementelli, in order to rob him and gain gang initiation in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. She stole money from him and his car, and proceeded to return to the crime scene with other people, in order to show them James’ body. Sources: 1) https://murderpedia.org/female.W/w/walte…

This case created a lot of room for discussion. It is not a morally black or white case - there's a lot to unpack here! The clip on social media that made me dig into this can be summed up as: a 15-year-old kid shot dead his parents and 17-year-old sister, citing his dislike for his mother’s loud chewing and his sister’s “annoying” accent, as well …

No spoilers for this one - the synopsis itself is horrible. Find out why this case is known as "The Windshield Murder" during this episode of Small Town Mysteries! Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9-1-1_(TV_series) 2) https://people.com/crime/chante-mallard-2017-movie-about-homeless-man-murder-windshield/ 3) https://medium.com/p/6ea6a62172…

Between September 1st and 4th, in 2006 Christian Charles Neilsen went on a killing spree at the Black Bear Inn located Newry, ME, which resulted in the death of 4 people: James, “Jimmy” Whitehurst (age 50), Julie Attebury Newby Bullard (age 65), Selby Bullard (age 30), and Cindy Ellen Cabral Beatson (age 43). What could his motive have been? Source…

This case highlights what some men in immense positions of power will do to try and cover their tracks. Anne Marie Fahey was only 27 when she was murdered by Thomas Capano, a prominent lawyer and political consultant who was well-known in Delaware, and who came from a family of rich real-estate developers. Although their relationship was not exclus…

The senseless, and potentially racially-motivated, crime that killed eight-year-old Noah Bush will have you seething. Sources: -https://home.army.mil/stewart/about/Garrison/DPW/environmental/prevention-and-compliance/borrow-pits#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20Borrow%20Pit,for%20fill%20at%20another%20location. -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesup,_Georgia …

In this episode, Rachael talks about Linda Lee Couch, who murdered her husband, Walter Couch Jr., in their home In Cincinnati, Ohio. The two of them were married for 14 years. As their history is unraveled, the question of self-defense is brought into the mix. Sources: 1) https://appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch/Search/Details/W017943 2) I Am…

Dubbed by the media as “The Tube Sock Killings,” these four unsolved murders occurred in 1985 in the remote areas of Lewis and Pierce County, Washington, near the unincorporated community of Mineral, Washington. Tube socks were tied around the necks of the women. Was it the same killer? You might think so, but it's not so cut and dry! Let's talk ab…

Kate talks about a case that was only recently solved using DNA evidence. The Grim Sleeper was identified after having committed at least 10 murders (that he was convicted of) and at least 4 others he was suspected of carrying out. His crimes spanned decades, and he targeted sex workers who were black women. Would he have been found out sooner if h…

Bison Dele, an ex-NBA player who walked away from it all at the prime of his career, his girlfriend, and the captain of his catamaran are all missing when Bison's brother docks their boat. What does his brother know about what happened to them all? Sources: 1)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bison_Dele#:~:text=Dele%20won%20a%20championship%20with,have…

Rachael talks about the brutal, horrific murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer in Madison, Indiana, which involved several other young girls. This will leave you shaking your head and wondering how individuals this young can commit such horrible acts of violence. Sources: 1) https://allthatsinteresting.com/shanda-sharer 2) https://www.talesfromtheund…

The decades-old case of the multi-homicide of the Short Family is ongoing and with few reliable leads. Twenty-two years later, the Short family is still searching for justice - but an inadequate initial investigation might make that impossible. Sources: 1) https://unresolved.me/the-short-family (very detailed!) 2) https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/local-…

Julie Ann Gonzalez was only 21-years-old when she went missing, leaving her young daughter, Layla, and a large group of family and friends who cared for her. They immediately knew that something was wrong - Julie would never disappear of her own volition. Find out how there was a murder conviction with no body found. Sources: 1) https://www.oxygen.…

Gerald Bloom is found buried underneath a trailer in 2010. The story that unfolds when police talk to Bloom's neighbors and roommates is terrifying and sad. Sources: 1) https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2012/s-11-0281.html 2) https://www.championfh.com/obituaries/gerald-bloom 3)https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/billingsg…

The Axeman of New Orleans terrorized the city in the 1910s, while the world was in the midst of both war and pandemic. Hear about several theories regarding who the Axeman was - are any of them convincing? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axeman_of_New_Orleans 3) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/…

The Moore family was an affluent family located in the town of Villisca, Iowa. They were well-known and well-liked in town. So when all 6 of them, along with 2 young guests, were found bludgeoned in their own home one morning in 1912, people had no idea who would have committed such a crime. Was this heinous crime committed for some financial motiv…

In this episode, Rachael covers a 1800s case in which a woman by the name of Cordelia Botkin is jealous of her lover's wife, Mary, causing her to go to great lengths to have Mary killed. Sources: 1) https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/death-by-chocolate-ab1f379e705c 2) https://billypenn.com/2023/09/17/botkin-dunning-case-murder-by-chocolate-del…

At first, when Stacey Castor's husband unexpectedly passes away, no one thinks anything of it, and his death is ruled a suicide. But when police dig deeper and search the Castor's home, what they find shocks them. And as they delve into Stacey's past with her previous husband, they begin to uncover a sinister web of lies... Sources: 1) https://en.w…

Marlene Warren answered the door to her home and was fatally shot by a mysterious clown, who then calmly walked away to their getaway car. Although there were eyewitnesses, circumstantial evidence, and a prime suspect, it would take over three decades for her killer to face any kind of justice. Sources: 1) https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/killer-cl…

On December 7, 2017, the body of Telma Boinville was discovered inside a North Shore vacation home in Pupukea, Hawaii by a pair of Australian tourists. In addition to the discovery of Telma’s remains, Makana, Telma’s 8-year-old daughter, was also found inside the home, with both her hands and feet bound. Throughout this episode, Rachael covers Telm…

This week, we take a brief break from covering cases and reflect on our favorite moments from the podcast over the last 100 episodes. We also hear from listeners and play a fun game at the end! Support the showBy Kate, Christine, and Rachael

During a first date, 24-year-old Erin Marie Gilbert vanishes without a trace. Almost 20 years later, and there are still no answers. Could her date have anything to do with her disappearance? Or was another ill-intentioned player involved? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Erin_Marie_Gilbert 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki…

In this week's episode, Rachael talks about the decades-long mystery of the Lyon sisters, who disappeared from a local mall in Wheaton, Maryland in March of 1975. The case went cold for a whopping 38 years. Eventually, a man who was only 18-years-old at the time of the crime and who had involved himself in the investigation was found guilty of kidn…

Tune in to learn about the heartbreaking and harrowing murder of Warren Barnes by 19-year-old Brian Cohee, and about the treasured life of Warren Barnes--victimized for being homeless, because his life "didn't matter." The way the community has honored Barnes is truly moving. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Junction,_Colorado 2) htt…

This week we dive into the bizarre disappearance of Ashley Loring Heavyrunner from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. Just 20 years old, investigators looked into some questionable relationships she may have had, substance abuse issues, and one particularly odd interaction with her father just before she disappeared. An overworked and under-fund…

This week, Rachael covers the shocking murder of Tracy Mondabough, which occurred as a result of a love-triangle gone wrong. Because the murder happened right around the start of Covid, the defense had some pretty interesting arguments for why the perpetrator might have committed the crime... Sources: 1) https://www.chillingcrimes.com/blogs/news/tr…

This is one of those cases that is solved, but justice was unfortunately never served. Today on Small Town Mysteries, hear about the murder of Cathy Sposito, which was solved 36 years (!!!) after it occurred. Support the showBy Kate, Christine, and Rachael

Despite there being a good amount of circumstantial evidence in the murder of Jan Kruse, a mom of two who is known in town for being extremely kind and friendly, this is sadly a case that is not solved. Though many people believe they know who committed the crime - is it really that simple? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster,_Minnes…

This week, Rachael dives into two shocking murder cases - both technically still unsolved! George Carroll Sources: 1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/12/13/he-was-told-his-father-walked-out-then-he-started-digging-up-basement/ 2) https://www.fresherslive.com/latest/articles/george-carroll-disappearance-1961-what-happened-to-george-carrol…

When a woman is found in tarp off the side of the highway in 1968, she remains unidentified for over 30 years. This was a case that took decades to get to the bottom of - and even now, there are still so many questions remaining. Sources: 1) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-barbara-ann-hackman-taylo/24013583/ 2) https://news.google…

Thirteen year old Jayme Closs witnesses her mother and father being murdered, and is then abducted by their killer, who had been carefully planning her abduction for a long time. Jayme is held in captivity for 88 days before she bravely escapes. Listen to Rachael cover this heartbreaking story this week on Small Town Mysteries. Sources: 1) https://…

Natalee Holloway is a name that many people within the true crime circle have heard of and are familiar with - but just how much do you know about Natalee and what happened surrounding her disappearance? This is sadly a case that is still not resolved, despite law enforcement and the general public having a very good idea who likely committed the c…

This week, Christine highlights the devastating story of Relisha Rudd, an 8-year-old girl who disappeared from a Washington, D.C. homeless shelter in 2014. What did her family know? Why didn't anyone report her missing for 18 DAYS? And most importantly, why was no one taking care of this vulnerable child? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D…

A group of three young men befriend and then brutally torture 19-year-old Chester Poage, with the only motive seeming to be to rob him. This is just one of those cases that make you wonder - how do these horrible people find each other?! Sources: 1) https://medium.com/@Charlie_OBrien/the-horrifying-kidnap-and-murder-of-chester-poage-d131d77cb1f1 2)…

In this case, what was thought to be a case of religious fanaticism gone wrong might have actually just been a crime of passion. Hear about the brutal murder of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter on this episode of Small Town Mysteries. This case inspired the recent series: Under the Banner of Heaven. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

This week, Christine talks about a horrifying case in which 2-year old DeOrr Cruz vanishes from a campground. Little information on this case exists, but what information does exist causes people to be skeptical of those who were on the camping trip with DeOrr. Sources: 1) ​https://www.eastidahonews.com/2020/07/deorr-kunz-vanished-5-years-ago-today…

The murder of 6-year-old Eli Hart by the hands of his mother was tragic and entirely preventable. There were many missteps taken by social workers assigned to the case - it's safe to say that the foster care system failed Eli Hart. Sources: 1) https://www.kare11.com/article/news/investigations/kare-11-investigates-eli-hart-child-red-protection-fail…

Micki Kanesaki and Lonnie Kocontes were seemingly working on re-igniting their former marriage, which had previously ended in divorce. As such, they booked a beautiful Mediterranean cruise for May of 2006. However, what Micki was not aware of was the fact that Lonnie had booked that particular cruise, as well as the particular room they stayed in, …

Susan Powell believes that she found the perfect opposite to her outgoing personality - Joshua Powell. They marry quickly and have children. But as their marriage progresses, Susan learns that Joshua is far from the man she thought he was. This case involves a dangerous obsession, a couple of different heart-wrenching tragedies, and a family who se…

On March 15, 1989, Tracey, only 17 at the time, was found at her job laying in a pool of her own blood. It was the first time that Tracey had closed the store on her own. After decades of leads that have never fully panned out, the case is still unsolved to this day. Who murdered Tracey Kirkpatrick? Sources: 1) https://www.intothesilentland.com/ 2)…

This week, Kate talks about the case of Ellen Rae Greenberg, which was ruled a suicide early on in the investigation. However, the physical evidence points toward homicide... Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Rae_Greenberg 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manayunk,_Philadelphia 3) https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/ellen-rae-gr…

This week, Christine talks about the mysterious deaths and disappearance of the Yuba County Five - a friend group of 5 young men. This group attended a basketball game one night in 1978, and were later found either dead or missing - in a very puzzling place. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_County_Five 2) https://www.washingtonpost.co…