Once Upon A Crime | True Crime

In this month’s episodes I’ll tell you stories of people who were fortunate enough to survive horrifying experiences.  In this episode, a family dream vacation turns into a nightmare on the sea.  All seems lost when the ship sinks with all onboard.  But by some miracle, a sole survivor is found. The story she tells about what happened onboard The Bluebelle will horrify all who hear it.  Resources:   Delivered From Evil: True Stories Of Ordinary People Who Faced Monstrous Mass Killers and Survived, Ron Franscell, Fair Winds Press, 2011.   Alone: Orphaned on the Ocean, Tere Duperrault and Richard D. Logan, Titletown Publishers, 2010.   SURVIVED: 11-Year-Old Found Alone in Middle of Ocean - YouTube Extraordinary Lives | Tere Jo Duperrault - YouTube Book 'Em: Alone, Orphaned on the Ocean - CBS News Terry Jo Duperrault – the girl who survived her entire family being brutally murdered at sea | Mysteriesrunsolved The Sea Waif: A Murder on the Ocean and the Little Girl Who Stayed Alive | Mental Floss Julian A

In this second part of a two-part episode, in their quest to be transformed into vampires, Daniel and Manuela Ruda conclude that the only way to prove their loyalty to Satan is by performing a human sacrifice.  Their crime would be described as “a picture of cruelty and depravity” such as had never been seen before in the German town of Witten. The subsequent trial would become a media circus with the two perpetrators proudly displaying their bizarre antics in front of the press and the public. Resources: The Best New True Crime Stories: Partners in Crime, Edited by Mitzi Szereto, Mango Publishing, 2022. Murder Dictionary Podcast: “Occult Murders: Daniel and Manuela Ruda”  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/occult-murders-daniel-manuela-ruda/id1169967004?i=1000389846158 https://serialkillercalendar.com/A-MATCH-MADE-IN-HELL-DANIEL-AND-MANUELA-RUDA.php https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/nov/16/thefarright.uk Satanist couple jailed for killing – The Irish Times https://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Daniel Ruda, a 26-year-old, self-described “black vampire” immersed himself in Germany’s goth and death metal scene as an outlet for his dark proclivities.  In the year 2000, he was ready to find his soulmate or, as he put it, his “princess of darkness” and placed a singles ad in a German black-metal magazine. 23-year-old Manuela Bartel answered his ad and the two soon became inseparable.  Separately, they participated in strange hobbies like sleeping in graves to “see what it felt like” and filing their teeth into fangs.  But together they were deadly.  In 2001, they jointly committed a gruesome murder.  Was their violent behavior a result of mental illness or were they purely evil? Resources:  The Best New True Crime Stories: Partners in Crime, Edited by Mitzi Szereto, Mango Publishing, 2022.  Murder Dictionary Podcast: “Occult Murders: Daniel and Manuela Ruda”  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/occult-murders-daniel-manuela-ruda/id1169967004?i=1000389846158 https://serialkillercalendar.com/A-MAT

I’m pleased to have Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jake Halpern, back with me again to discuss a new case he investigated for his podcast “Deep Cover”. Deep Cover, a Pushkin podcast, is all about people who lead double lives. In the new season, Jake follows the story of a girl who goes missing without a trace in South Carolina in 1999. Years later, the missing girl is connected to another missing person’s case on the other side of the country. There are twists and turns in this story that you won’t see coming connected to stolen identities, a female fugitive on the run from the law, and even espionage. Join me for this fascinating discussion with Jake where we talk about his latest case, female victims and perpetrators and how they are portrayed by the media, and the ethical dilemma faced by everyone who reports or podcasts about true crime. You can listen to episodes of Deep Cover: Never Seen Again beginning on January 30th. A new episode releases every Monday but you can binge the entire season by sub

We continue the story of Barbora Skrlova from where we left of last week.  In part two, you’ll learn all the details of the bizarre unfolding of events in the Mauerova home.  I’ll conclude by telling you the unbelievable tale of how Barbora Skrlova almost escaped all responsibility for her part in this horrendous abuse case. Resources:   Book: “The Kurim Case: A Terrifying True Story of Child Abuse, Cults & Cannibalism” by Ryan Green, 2016.   The Kurim Case: https://youtu.be/DN3nelsuDx0 https://www.irishtimes.com/news/czechs-appalled-and-enthralled-by-obscure-cult-and-fake-identities-1.931498 https://mindlifetv.com/movies/torture-cannibalism-and-incestuous-sex-the-chilling-story-of-barbora-skrlova/# https://www.okaybliss.com/barbora-skrlova-now/ https://signalhorizon.com/orphan-first-kill-ending-explained-the-real-story-of-barbora-skrlova-and-a-fitting-origin-story-for-esther/

For our first series of 2023, we’ll do a deep dive into a case that has so many bizarre twists and turns a Hollywood horror movie was later based on it.  In this first part of a 2-part series, a child who has been placed in a children’s home after allegations of abuse goes missing.  When he’s found over a thousand miles away in the company of a strange man, the police discover a shocking secret.  He is not who he said he was - nor is he a young boy - but an adult woman.  The story of Barbora Skrlova only becomes more strange as the truth is revealed. Resources:  Book: “The Kurim Case: A Terrifying True Story of Child Abuse, Cults & Cannibalism” by Ryan Green, 2016.  The Kurim Case: https://youtu.be/DN3nelsuDx0 https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/boys-don-t-cry-woman-arrested-in-norway-for-impersonating-teen-a-528047.html https://www.irishtimes.com/news/czechs-appalled-and-enthralled-by-obscure-cult-and-fake-identities-1.931498 https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-grail-movement-cult/ama

In 2008, Travis Alexander was brutally murdered in his home in Mesa, Arizona.  His ex-girlfriend, Jodi Arias, was convicted of the slaying and was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.   A new Lifetime Television movie tells the behind-the-scene story of Jodi’s life behind bars.  In this follow-up to one of Lifetime's most successful true crime dramas, JODI ARIAS: DIRTY LITTLE SECRET, we see a whole new side of Jodi and follow the story that has captivated the public for nearly a decade.  In this episode, I speak with Donavan Bering, a cellmate of Jodi Arias’ who became her good friend and staunchest supporter - that is until she came to learn what kind of person Jodi really was and realized that her claims of innocence were all lies.  Jodi Arias: Bad Behind Bars, produced for Lifetime by Cineflix Productions premieres Saturday, January 21 at 8/7c.  Links:  You can listen to Once Upon a Crime’s in-depth coverage of the Jodi Arias case in a 2-part series from Season 1.  Liste

In this last of our special holiday episodes, Esther and Lorena discuss the Netflix documentary “I Am Vanessa Guillen" with Margot, host of the podcast Military Murder.  Vanessa Guillen was a United States Army soldier who went missing from a Texas military base in 2020.  Her family would face an uphill battle trying to get answers when Vanessa’s superiors closed ranks and did little to investigate her disappearance. But the efforts of her family through protests and social media posts that went viral sparked a movement that shone a spotlight on abuses that had, up to that point, gone unchecked. Margot’s podcast, Military Murder, is a true crime podcast that covers cases where the victims or the perpetrators are members of the military.. Margot has served in the military and her knowledge and experience provided additional insights and information regarding this case and the documentary.  She covered Vanessa Guillen’s case on her podcast. Links:  Link to the Netflix documentary: https://www.netflix.com/ti

In this special episode Esther and Lorena talk with Bob Ruff, host of the podcasts Truth and Justice and True Crime Binge. They discuss the Netflix documentary series "Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist" that details one of the most high-profile incidents of catfishing on record. Manti Te’o was a celebrated linebacker from Hawaii who played for Notre Dame and was on track to become a first round draft pick for the NFL when a scandal marred his future prospects. He’d been in a long-term relationship with a girl who, it turned out, didn’t exist. He’d been fooled into believing that his long-distance girlfriend, Lennay Kukua, had died from a chronic illness. But, instead, it was discovered that Te’o’s girlfriend was actually a man named Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. Esther and Lorena also talk about hanging with podcasters at the Generation Why 10- Year Anniversary Livestream, Bob’s latest investigation on Truth and Justice, and who he has coming up as special guests on True Crime Binge. Links: Link to the Netflix

In this special holiday episode Esther and Lorena discuss the Netflix series "The Watcher" with Tim and Lance from Crawlspace Podcast.  We compare and contrast this fictionalized version of the true mystery "The Watcher House".  In 2014, Derek and Maria Broaddus purchased a home in New Jersey.  Soon afterward they began receiving letters from an anonymous person who said they were watching the house and young family.  When the letters became threatening they questioned whether they should give up their dream home. Resources: A link to an article about this case with photos of the house: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/12/us/the-watcher-house-stalker-trnd/index.html Esther covered this case on Halloween Tales: Volume 2 in 2017, Episode #64. Link here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/once-upon-a-crime-true-crime/id1122650415?i=1000393914220 Here's a link to the Netflix series: https://g.co/kgs/gvwymw Esther was recently a guest on Crawlspace. Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/335-once-u

For many people around the world, ringing in the new year brings with it the promise of new hope, a fresh start, and renewed possibilities.  But each year of Ricky Javon Gray’s short life brought only violence, brutality, and death ending in a shocking murder spree over New Year’s weekend 2006. Resources “The Visitors” by Melissa Scott Sinclair for Style Weekly, October 20, 2010. https://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/the-visitors/Content?oid=1381013 “Man convicted of grisly murders of Virginia couple, daughters” Associated Press, August 17, 2006.  “String of Slayings Shatters Richmond” by Carol Morello for The Washington Post, Jan 15, 2006. “Gray v. Commonwealth”, Supreme Court of Virginia, Decided June 8, 2007. Retrieved from FindLaw.com. “Cold Blooded” on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck1M87CT1Tk “Lawyers describe childhood abuse as ‘sexual slavery’ as they argue Ricky Gray should be spared from death” by Gary A. Harki for PilotOnline.com, Dec 13, 2016.  “Ricky Gray’s execution took more t

On Christmas Eve, 1985 a grim discovery was made on a frozen field outside of Chester, Nebraska.  The body of a child had been abandoned. The mystery of who the anonymous child who locals dubbed “Little Boy Blue” would take two years to solve. When the responsible party was identified, investigators began to suspect that an Amish man, Eli Stutzman, just might be a serial killer. Resources: Mystery of 'Little Boy Blue' solved - UPI Archives Crimes of Eli Stutzman, aka The Amish Serial Killer, investigated on ID (monstersandcritics.com) Eli Stutzman | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Friday marks 25 years since Christmas Eve tragedy - Hebron Journal Register STUTZMAN, DANIEL, LITTLE BOY BLUE - Thayer County, Nebraska | LITTLE BOY BLUE STUTZMAN, DANIEL - Nebraska Gravestone Photos (nebraskagravestones.org)  Eli Stutzman Part 01 : Barn Fires & Bodies - YouTube Eli Stutzman Part 02 : Little Boy Blue - YouTube The Amish Serial Killer Eli Stutzman Was Anything But Provincial (ranker.com)\ Typ

A young mother goes missing after a Thankgiving Day shopping trip in 2018. After meticulous detective work on the part of several law enforcement agencies answers come to light.  The perpetrator would be someone no one would suspect - least of all Kelsey Berreth the victim. This case has us pondering the question do we really know the dark thoughts of the people closest to us? Resources:  https://www.insideedition.com/kelsey-berreth-case-what-to-know-about-the-missing-colorado-mom-last-seen-on-thanksgiving-day-49154 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/patrick-frazee-s-ex-girlfriend-reveals-kelsey-berreth-s-last-n1078236 https://people.com/crime/people-magazine-investigates-kelsey-berreth-murder/ Application and Affidavit for Arrest Warrant.pdf (state.co.us) Patrick Frazee's Mom Did Not Make 'Witch Is Dead' Facebook Post | Crime News (oxygen.com) Kelsey Berreth remains possibly found as tooth fragment found at killer fiance Patrick Frazee farm | Daily Mail Online Human tooth found near burne

In today’s episode, I’ll share three strange and intriguing true crime cases currently in the news - a suspected serial killer hunting for victims in a small California town, a gruesome discovery on a local walking trail, and a bizarre discovery unearthed in a San Francisco Bay Area mansion’s back garden. Resources:  “Suspect is Arrested in Series of Killings in Stockton, Calif., Police Say”, Eduardo Medina, The New York Times, Oct 15, 2022 “Stockton serial killings: Everything we know now about suspect Wesley Brownlee”, Daniel Macht, Hilda Flores, KCRA 3, Oct 19, 2022 “Timeline: Stockton police arrest suspect linked to six serial killings”, Gabriel Porras, ABCNews.go.com, Oct 16, 2022 “What we’re learning about victims of the Stockton serial killings” Maricela DelaCruz, KCRA 3, Oct 19, 2022  “Coroner IDs Woman Found on Fire in Antioch, Suspects in Custody”, Bay City News, Oct 24, 2022 “Antioch Police Say Two Arrested in Homicide Case of Woman Found Burned on Mokelumne Trail”, East County Today, Oct 24,

A Nightmare Before Halloween, Part 2 …1 campfire… …1 dark forest… …31 bone-chilling stories… …Will YOU survive the night? This Halloween season, enter the woods for a unique and truly epic podcast experience! Around the campfire Shane Waters will introduce 31 crime podcast hosts, including Once Upon a Crime. Each host brings a new, nerve-wracking true story to the circle. It’s an extra special, two part, five-hour, Halloween event, but before hitting play you might want to ask yourself…can you really handle this much murder and mayhem? So, pull up to the fire and brace yourself for ‘A Nightmare Before Halloween’ …but be warned… …bad things happen in these woods…. Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance: In this Part 2 Episode:  - True Crime Island [https://tinyurl.com/y6kk2npj] - Based on a True Story [https://tinyurl.com/37axzn5z] - The Asian Madness Podcast [https://tinyurl.com/yckkxbjn] - Sistas Who Kill [https://linktr.ee/Sistas.Who.Kill.Podcast] - Hometown History [https://link.chtb

…1 campfire… …1 dark forest… …31 bone-chilling stories… …Will YOU survive the night? This Halloween season, enter the woods for a unique and truly epic podcast experience! Around the campfire Shane Waters will introduce 31 crime podcast hosts, including Once Upon a Crime. Each host brings a new, nerve-wracking true story to the circle. It’s an extra special, two part, five-hour, Halloween event, but before hitting play you might want to ask yourself…can you really handle this much murder and mayhem? So, pull up to the fire and brace yourself for ‘A Nightmare Before Halloween’ …but be warned… …bad things happen in these woods…. Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance: In this Part 1 Episode:  - Foul Play: Crime Series [https://link.chtbl.com/foulplay] - Murder She Told [https://tinyurl.com/55473exk] - Crime Salad [https://tinyurl.com/4pbtdtpc]   - Crimelines [https://linktr.ee/crimelines] - Frightful [https://link.chtbl.com/frightful] - Reverie True Crime [https://linktr.ee/paigeelmore]

N.W.A. became one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time and became one of the first rap groups to reach platinum status with their debut album Straight Outta Compton.  In 1989, they took the stage in front of a crowd of over 20,000 fans in Detroit, Michigan.  But the group had been forbidden from performing one of their most controversial songs. When they chose to do so anyway, all hell broke loose. Resources:   “The real story behind N.W.A.’s ‘Straight Outta Compton’ Detroit riot” by Lee DeVito for Detroit Metro Times, August 17, 2015.   https://www.metrotimes.com/music/the-real-story-behind-nwas-straight-outta-compton-detroit-riot-2362596 “Retired Detroit Sergeant recalls telling N.W.A. they couldn’t play ‘F*** tha Police’ at 1989 concert” by John Counts for Michigan Live, August 27, 2015.   https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2015/08/former_detroit_sergeant_recall.html “The famous 1989 Detroit concert by N.W.A., then and now” by Julie Hinds for Detroit Free Press, August 13, 2015.  

Robert Smith formed the band The Cure with his schoolmates when he was still in middle school.  They found early success and soon began touring around the world.  But their sobriety and mental health began to suffer from the strain while on tour.  It all came to a dramatic end on stage in Brussels in 1982. Resources: “The Crack Up” by Tonino Cagnucci, October 11, 2014. https://thecuretc.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/the-crack-up-2/ “The ‘one time’ Robert Smith was really frightened with ‘The Cure’” by Jordan Potter for Far Out Magazine, August 20, 2022. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/time-robert-smith-really-frightened-the-cure/ The Story of “The Cure” (2004), More Music Shows, May 15, 2020, YouTube. https://youtu.be/9W7vOJC1qLI

In our first “Rocktober” episode of the month I’ll tell you the story of the Bad Boy of Rock and Roll - Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses.  In July of 1991, Guns N’ Roses was on its 28-month “Use Your Illusion” tour when the lead singer got into a fight with a fan kicking off a 3-hour riot in St. Louis, Missouri.  Guns N’ Roses would be banned from performing in St. Louis for years and face criminal and civil charges as a result. Resources:  “Guns N’ Roses: The St. Louis Incident” https://youtu.be/1qVzAA-v3qM “Looking Back at the Riverport Riot” by David Durchholtz for Billboard, July 26, 2017 “Reclusive Rocker Breaks His Silence” Luke Bainbridge for The Guardian, Oct 25, 2008 “Axl Rose’s Tragic Real-Life Story” by Rob Smith and Brian Boone for The Grunge, August 30, 2022. 

In this episode, I’ll cover a case that sparked a national debate and shone a spotlight on discrepancies in the justice system regarding the treatment and rights of survivors of sexual assault.  Brock Turner was a first-year student at Stanford University when he was accused of sexually assaulting a young woman. The media portrayal of the perpetrator and the leniency he received at sentencing would fuel public outrage regarding this highly publicized case. Resources: Know My Name: A Memoir, Chanel Miller, Penguin Books, 2019.  “Know My Name: Chanel Miller’s Story”, 60 Minutes, CBS, May 3, 2021. https://youtu.be/PTvHn2_0evo “Sentence in Stanford Assault Case Sparks Outrage”, Richard Gonzalez, NPR, June 6, 2016. “Thes Brock Turner Headlines are Beyond Tone Deaf”, Julie Sprankles, Bustle.com, June 6, 2016.