Once Upon A Crime | True Crime

Susan Polk enters into a relationship with her therapist when she is a young girl. Years later, after 20 years of marriage, she will claim she has been abused by her husband for decades.  After he is found dead in their guest house the question would be, was this a case of self-defense or a cold-blooded murder?  Resources: Court record: The People, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Susan Mae Polk, Defendant and Applellant, Contra Costa County Super. Ct. No. 031668-7, December 13, 2010 Articles: A California Murder Raises Troubling Issues by Carol Pogash for The New York Times, September 18, 2005 Obituary of Dr. F. Felix Polk, SFGate.com, November 5, 2002.  Slaying rips apart a family in Orinda by Jason Dearen for Bay Area News Group, October 10, 2005.  Convicted Orinda killer Susan Polk denied parole, kicked out of hearing midway through by Nate Gartrell for Bay Area News Group, July 17, 2019.  

A mother seeks help for her special needs child, but a church prayer service ends tragically.   Several resources were used in the research for this episode including: Book: True Stories of Law and Order by Kevin Dwyer and Jure Fiorillo  Articles:  Death by Exorcism by David Krajicek for the New York Daily News, October 8, 2006 Sponsor:  Native Deodorants - www.nativedeodorant.com  - Use promo code ONCE for 20% off your first purchase.  Subscribe to "Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime"  On iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-taco-bout-true-crime/id1452118167 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7k3cQGC0unJGSMhlEZRiWG?si=dLyaqKydRDi_SA3wYkhWnw  On Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=379086  

In the second chapter of the series "Deadly Therapy" a young girl who grows up in an unstable home is placed up for adoption.  Her adoptive mother finds her behavior problematic and has her undergo a new and controversial therapy - with tragic results.    Resources" Her Name was Candace by Carla Crowder and Peggy Lowe for Denver Rocky Mountain News, Oct. 29, 2000     https://culteducation.com/group/1115-rebirthing/17893-her-name-was-candace.html Seeking Child’s Love, A Child’s Life is Lost by Barry Siegel for the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 2001   https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-feb-04-mn-21072-story.html Links from this episode:  www.singleparentadvocate.org www.doorofhope.us www.adoptuskids.org www.togetherwerise.org https://store.23skidoovintage.com https://www.facebook.com/events/493288214744272/

In this month's series, "Deadly Therapy", I’ll detail cases of people who sought help from experts, but rather than receiving healing and transformation, their journeys came to an abrupt and deadly end.  In this first chapter, you’ll hear how James, Arthur Ray, a self-described success coach and guru required his followers to perform increasingly more extreme mental and physical challenges all in the pursuit of “enlightenment” with deadly results.  Resources: Articles:  The Death Dealer by Matt Stroud in The Verge.  Arizona Sweat Lodge: The Inside Story of James Ray's Fatal Retreat by Miguel Sancho and Kimberley Brown for ABC News.  Blogs:   https://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/james-rays-first-victim-colleen-conaway/ Films: Enlighten Us: The Rise and Fall of James Arthur Ray (2016) 

Identical twin sisters, Sunny and Gina Han were lifelong rivals.  One sister's jealousy would lead her to plot her twin's murder.  Resources: Court Transcripts: People v. Han, Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division 3, California, Feb. 25, 2000 Opposition of Parole letter from Orange County District Attorney's Office to Office of Governor Jerry Brown, November 20, 2017.  Articles: 'Evil Twin' Granted Parole Despite DA's Objections by Nathan Solis for Courthousenews.com, June 21, 2018.  Links: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime www.truecrimepodcast.com

In this bonus episode, I interview Jan Broberg and Skye Borgman about their documentary film "Abducted in Plain Sight" LIVE at CrimeCon 2019 in New Orleans. #AbductedinPlainSight #truecrimedocumentary #CrimeCon2019

On this bonus episode I take you along with me to CrimeCon 2019 in New Orleans and my travels to New York City and Toronto for the Toronto True Crime Film Festival.   #CrimeCon #NewOrleans #TorontoTrueCrimeFilmFestival #truecrimedocumentaries #NewYorkCity  www.facebook.com/onceuponacrimepod 

I continue the story of the Gibbons Sisters - twins who were locked in a battle their entire lives. Neither believed they could survive without the other, but controlled each other so completely they only spoke to or associated with one another.  When they reached adolescence, they knew they had to find some way to break out of this destructive twin bond or both would perish.  Their desperation lead them to commit increasingly antisocial and criminal acts.  This is part two of "The Silent Twins".  Resources: Marjorie Wallace, The Silent Twins, (London, Vintage Books 1998).  BBC: Inside Story, The Silent Twin: Without my Shadow. YouTube, Uploaded by GottaFindPants, Nov 20, 2017. https://youtu.be/98WtP1qC61s  Links: Website: www.truecrimepodcast.com Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/onceuponacrimepod

June and Jennifer Gibbons were identical twins who, from a very young age, were so bonded to one another that they created their own “twin language” to communicate speaking only to one another.  They rejected any other relationships including their own parents and siblings.  Later, they would construct a fantasy world that only they inhabited.  This lead to more serious anti-social behavior that resulted in a shocking crime spree.   Resources: Marjorie Wallace, The Silent Twins, (London, Vintage Books 1998).  BBC: Inside Story, The Silent Twin: Without my Shadow. YouTube, Uploaded by GottaFindPants, Nov 20, 2017. https://youtu.be/98WtP1qC61s  Music credits: Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Reflections" by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/) Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

"Lost and Found" was the very first series of Once Upon a Crime in June, 2016.  In that series I covered the story of three young women who were held captive and abused by Ariel Castro for over a decade.  In this bonus episode we give you an update about these survivors - Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina De Jesus.   Links: Our website:  www.truecrimepodcast.com CrimeCon:  www.CrimeCon.com - Use offer code ONCE19 for 10% off your registration.  Toronto True Crime Film Festival: www.torontotruecrimefilmfestival.com Our Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/onceuponacrimepod Click here to join our Facebook group.   Twitter: www.twitter.com/uponacrime  www.twitter.com/tacoboutcrime Instagram: www.instagram.com/onceuponacrimepod 

A mother takes justice into her own hands in Jamestown, California in 1993 when she discovers her son has been abused by a child molester.  Some called her a hero, others denounced her actions as vigilantism.  This is Chapter 2 of "Disorder in the Court". Resources: The Nesler Family's Tragic Past - www.oprah.com  Pushed Over Edge, Mother Chose Own Brand of Justice by Mark Arak, Times Staff Writer, April 11, 1993.  William Nesler Still a Fugitive by Lloyd Vries for CBS News, July 29, 2004.  Ellie Nesler's Family Buries their Hero in Angels Camp, by John Holland in The Modesto Bee, January 2, 2009.  Links: www.facebook.com/onceuponacrimepod www.truecrimepodcast.com

In 2005, a man on trial for rape escapes custody in Atlanta's Fulton County Courthouse and goes on a violent rampage.  This is Chapter 1 of "Disorder in the Court".   Resources: 3 Slain in Atlanta Courthouse Rampage, The Washington Post, March 12, 2005, Staff writers Manuel Roig-Franzia and Melanie Lasoff Levs  A Manhunt and a Woman's Story, Washington Post, March 15, 2005, writer Manuel Roig-Franzia A Youth Drifted from Deep Family Ties to Deep Trouble, The Baltimore Sun, March 18, 2005, writers Abigail Tucker and Stephen Kiehl 10 Years Later, Courthouse Safer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 11, 2015, by Ernie Suggs 

A summer ball game descends into chaos when a promotional event goes seriously awry.  This is the last chapter in the series "Bad Sports" recounting the Cleveland Indians' "Ten Cent Beer Night" riot.  Thanks to guest voice actors Lorne and Michael from The True Crime Guys podcast.  www.truecrimeguys.com Resources: Articles: The Night Beer and Violence Bubbled Over in Cleveland by Paul Jackson on ESPN.com Forty Years Ago, 10-cent Beer Makes Memories by Anthony Castrovince on MLB.com  Video: Ten Cent Beer Night - Weird History on YouTube.com  Other links: Our website: www.truecrimepodcast.com Patreon:  www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime

A friendly soccer game on a dusty field in Brazil turns into a horrific act of violence.  Resources:  Article: A Yellow Card, Then Unfathomable Violence in Brazil by Jere Longman and Taylor Barnes for The New York Times, October 31, 2013 "Football Hooliganism" - a Wikipedia listing of instances of violence at soccer matches.  

Ray and Sally McNeil were a married couple who were both accomplished athletes in the sport of professional bodybuilding.  But, a combination of infidelity, abuse and anabolic steroid use would lead to a final, bloody confrontation on Valentine’s Day, 1995.  Resources: Court Records: McNeil v. Middleton, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, Submitted April 8, 2003, Filed Sept 22, 2003. Articles: Sally McNeil...This is My Story by Leigh Penman for RXMuscle.com, Nov 4, 2009 The Sally-Ray McNeil Murder by Peter McGough for MuscularDevelopment.com, Feb 12, 2015.  Once Upon a Crime website: www.truecrimepodcast.com

This month I'll be sharing stories of outrageous crimes that occurred at sporting events or by sports figures.   First up, a neighborhood ice rink, a pee-wee hockey pick-up game and some unsportsmanlike conduct leads to a confrontation between parents that ends with tragic results. 

A man starts having vivid memories of a violent crime he believes he may have committed during an alcoholic blackout.  Resources: Kevin Dwyer and Jure Fiiorillo, True Stories of Law & Order (New York: Berkley Boulevard Books), 74-82.  Cox v. Miller, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals Decision, retrieved from www.Justia.com, July 17, 2002.  David Goldnamn Biography, "AA vs DA: The Case of Paul Cox," March 2003, 21.  Links: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime to become a patron and receive podcast merch, bonus episodes and be entered into our monthly drawing. 

I conclude the story about Eileen Franklin who claimed to have witnessed her friend, 8-year-old Susan Nason's murder in 1969. She would say her memory of the event was only recovered after 20 years.  Her story would begin a debate about the validity of "recovered memories" used in criminal trials. Click here to subscribe to "Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime"!

In this series I'll share crime stories that feature a very strange and rare phenomenon - recovered memories of murder.  Is it possible to forget about a murder?  Could a traumatic event, like witnessing a violent crime, cause a person to repress the memory so completely that they, in essence, “forget” they ever saw such a horrific event? In this first chapter, Eileen Franklin recalls a 20-year-old murder.  She will claim that she witnessed the murder of her best friend, 8-year-old Susan Nason in 1969 and then repressed the memory for years. Resources: Several articles, court records and other materials were used to research this case.  One resource was the book Once Upon a Time by Harry Maclean, published in 1993. 

A career criminal commits multiple murders plus an attempted murder and continues to be released on parole.  This is the case of Michael Keith Moon.  Resources: Michael Hemmingston, San Diego Reader, "Moon Arraigned in Escondido Cold Case," Jan 16, 2008.  Randy Kalp, The Coast News Group, Rancho Santa Fe, "Convicted felon takes wrap for 31-year-old slaying," Dec 11, 2008.  Pauline Repard, The San Diego Union-Tribune, "Double murderer paroled to downtown San Diego," March 15, 2015.  Links: Patreon: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime - The Podcast -  subscribe on Apple Podcasts.