Rotten Mango Season 2, Episode 12: Mysterious Death of Elisa Lam

1

The Mysterious Slumber Party Death - Death of Tamla Horsford

A slumber party filled with responsible football moms whose kids all play football together... when they wake up one of them is dead in the backyard. When the police start investigating things start getting weirder... A woman tries to bribe the police with Dunkin Donuts gift cards (yes, you read that right). A boyfriend in law enforcement kept accessing Tamla's investigation file unlawfully. And that's just the tip of this murky, confusing, mysterious iceberg of a case

121 min

2

The British Jeffrey Dahmer - He Keeps Corpses As Roommates (Serial Killer Dennis Nilsen)

Police are called out about clogged drains underneath a house in London... doesn't really sound like detective work. BUT it soon becomes apparent that the drains have been clogged with human remains. Someone inside the house has been flushing human remains down the toilet. (Remember Jeffrey Dahmer?) The police think they're about to arrest a murderer but little do they know they've got a serial killer on their hands.

95 min

3

India's Daughter - New Delhi Bus Rape and Murder Case

A 15-year-old hitchhiker catches a ride with a sweet "grandpa looking man." She was excited to go home but he had plans of his own. His plans resulted in her with both her arms amputated and thrown off a cliff. On the other side of the world, another girl got on a bus after visiting the movies with a friend. She would be found tossed off the bus clinging on for her life. Some of the darkest cases I've covered but it's been highly requested and we need to keep these stories alive. Get your tissues ready - it's gut wrenching.

99 min

4

The Dance Moms Murder

Cheerleading tryouts at this junior high school become deadly once a mom hires a hitman to literally "knock out" the competition. What's a couple of dead people when your daughter has the chance to be a cheerleader? We also cover the story of the Blood Countess. One of the most prolific female serial killers who has claimed the lives of over 600 victims. She believed the secret to youth was to take baths... full of blood. Blood baths.

122 min

5

The Bizarre Kidnapping of an Unborn Child (Case of Lisa Montgomery)

She told all of her friends that she was pregnant. People started getting suspicious when they realized she was so close to her due date but hadn't even started showing yet. But Lisa had a plan. She would go visit an unsuspecting pregnant friend and cut the unborn baby from her womb.

67 min

6

Sexton Family Cult Murders (Case of Eddie Sexton & His Incestuous Family)

They saw their dad as a "Half God" - the product of Lucifer mating with humans. They followed his every command whether it was - marrying him, fathering children with his daughter, having sexual relations with their own siblings, or even killing people who learned of his secrets. He led the FBI on a massive manhunt that would ultimately lead to the unraveling of his secret cult.

128 min

7

The Waterbed Murder (Case of Maddie Clifton & Josh Phillips)

Melissa was sick of telling her teenage son to clean his room. For the past week, there had been a disgusting stench coming from it. She had a theory - his waterbed was leaking and was causing the smell. She lifted it up hoping to find the source. But instead, she found a dead little girl.

43 min

8

Ted Bundy 2.0 (Serial Killers Danny Rowling & Charlie Brandt)

Two serial killers operating in the same state with the same goal - to be the next Ted Bundy. "A superstar" one says. They both have a thing for beheading women and staging the crime scene to look as if the victim's head is staring at her own headless body.

99 min

9

She Made SOAP From Her Victim's Bodies (Serial Killer Leonarda Cianciulli)

The famous soap maker was giving away free soaps & tea cakes from her beloved soap shop. The neighbors were ecstatic to take home their luxurious bars of soap that they got for free and couldn't wait to test them out... They wouldn't know till it was too late that the Soapmakers recipe included the bodies of her victims.

77 min

10

The Trash Chute Murder (Mysterious Death of Phoebe Handsjuk)

A woman falls feet first down a 12 story trash chute to her death. The police are quick to determine it's a suicide or accidental death. But there are still more questions than answers: How did she fit herself into a garbage chute that has an opening the size of a laptop? Why were her jeans pulled down below her knees? Who is her boyfriend and why are people suspicious of him? The deeper you go into the case the less you feel like you know...

121 min

11

The Law School Murder (Case of Lauren Giddings)

When a law student goes missing - you can’t help but suspect everyone in her class. Was this law school jealousy, a love triangle, or a random crime? What if one of these very law students wrote about how to commit the perfect crime? Is this a situation of How To Get Away With Murder?

69 min

12

Mysterious Death of Elisa Lam

Guests of the Cecil Hotel started complaining about water quality issues - their tap water was brown and had a strange taste to it... They sent a maintenance man to go check on the water tanks on the roof that only staff had a key to - as it was a restricted access area and armed. There he found the body of Elis Lam in one of the water tanks. She had been missing for 3 weeks. How did she get up there? Why was she in the water tanks? What about the elevator footage? Things just get stranger from here...

103 min

13

The Vienna Strangler (Serial Killer Jack Unterweger)

A convicted murderer - sentenced to life in prison - decides to start publishing children’s books, short stories, and even a memoir. The elite literary community soaks in every word and praises him for becoming a reformed man in prison. They even start a petition to the President of Austria to let this reformed man out and walk the streets amongst us! Once released - it’s his second chance to do the things he’s always wanted to do! Become a serial killer.

70 min

14

The Sinister Staircase (Case of Michael & Kathleen Peterson)

From the outside - they’re perfect. Wealthy, educated, compassionate, veteran, with 5 children in a blended marriage. When Kathleen is found dead at the bottom of the staircase - all of the Petersons' family secrets come to light. We have more questions than ever… IF she fell (like Michael Peterson claims) why was there blood soaking the floor & walls? Why did Michael delete personal emails right after he found out his wife died? Why do people believe an owl (the bird) killed Kathleen? And what about the other woman in Michael’s life found at the bottom of a staircase?

127 min

15

Korean Manson Cult (Case Jijonpa Family Cult)

#45- Korean Manson Cult (Case Jijonpa Family Cult) A cult in Korea heard the saying “eat the rich” and they decided to do just that. Literally. They turned their victims into side dishes for their Korean BBQ. Is this about the ever-growing wealth gap or are they just a sinister cult looking for blood?

63 min

16

The Candy Man Part 1 (Serial Killer Dean Corll)

#46: The Candy Man Part 1 (Serial Killer Dean Corll) The “CandyMan” is what all the little boys called him. He was a candy factory owner who passed out free candy to all the kids. In the same small town of Houston Heights 29 boys go missing in the span of a few years… At a time where it felt like nobody could be trusted - the CandyMan seemed like a wholesome adult figure. But you know where this story goes.

99 min

17

Willy Wonka Killer Part 2 (Serial Killer Dean Corll)

#47- Willy Wonka Killer Part 2 (Serial Killer Dean Corll) The CandyMan and his 2 assistant killers are ramping up their serial murders... 29 boys go missing from the same small town. Where are the police? And who finally takes down Willy Wonka? It all ends with one last party.

79 min

18

The "Best Friends Forever" Murder (Case: Christine Paolilla & Vera Jo Reigle)

They met in High School and became popular and inseparable. One of them was even voted “Miss Irresistible.” Best friends forever & ever they said - but when four of them are found brutally murdered you have to wonder if someone close to them was involved… Secrets between friends are sometimes the darkest ones. One of them is a Pretty Little Liar.

104 min

19

Tokyo Subway Killers (Case of Shoko Asahara)

5 men board 5 different Tokyo subway trains at the same time. Each of them are carrying plastic bags filled with poison. At exactly 8 AM - peak rush hour - they will release the poison to thousands of passengers who are stuck in the trains breathing in the lethal gas.

61 min

20

The Most Psychopathic Woman in Korea (Case Angela Simpson & Lady Eom)

The press claimed she had a “perfect score” on the Psychopath Test - making her the most psychopathic woman in South Korea. Why did all her loved ones go blind? Why did all her husbands end up dead? And why did she try to burn down an entire hospital? How much is too much coincidence?

71 min

21

The Architect’s Almost Perfect Murder (Case Elaine O'Hara)

Two friends go fishing - instead of fish they catch: BDSM leather masks, ropes, handcuffs, knives, and bondage equipment. Could this be the aftermath of a really crazy party? OR was it something more sinister? A case filled with intimate text messages between the killer and victim, bloodlust, and a raging psychopath.

75 min

22

Giggling Granny Serial Killer (Nannie Doss)

Who would ever suspect a sweet little grandma with the best-baked goods in town of having a sinister past? She was a doting grandmother, wife, daughter, and a “domestic goddess.” But once in a while, she would add a special ingredient to her baked goods resulting in the death of her loved ones. After 11 funerals - nobody suspected the grieving grandma. Do you trust your grandma?

72 min

23

Captive For 24 Years/ Girl In The Basement (Case-Elizabeth Fritzl)

#53: Captive For 24 Years/ Girl In The Basement (Case-Elizabeth Fritzl) She was held captive for 24 years in the secret basement of the house that she grew up in. During her captivity she gave birth to 7 children - all in the dark with nothing but a pack of diapers and a pair of scissors. For 24 years there were two families residing in one house. The “family above” lived a normal life. Celebrating holidays. Taking pictures. The “family below” lived a life with no sunlight, mold on the walls, and torment beyond imagine.

119 min

24

Abducted, Tortured, Left For Dead (Case of Alison Botha)

She was driven off the main road where she was assaulted, disemboweled, and left for dead. Against all odds, she managed to survive this attack. But that was just the beginning of a diabolical crime...

67 min

25

The Killer Kitty (Richardson Family Murders)

The Richardson family was found viciously murdered in the middle of the night… The police are gathering clues when they realize that a family member is missing. The 12-year-old daughter… where is she? Has she been abducted? Did she escape? Was she killed? Is her body somewhere else? Time is ticking...

114 min

26

Mommy Needs Money Murders (Case of Ellen Boehm)

Ellen could hear her 8-year-old daughter splashing around in the bath with her barbies. Thankfully her son was fast asleep - another long exhausting day as a single mom. But what if things didn’t have to be this way? Ellen calmly walked over to the bathroom, plugged in her hairdryer… and threw it in the bathtub where Stacy was playing... Plop.

76 min

27

The Kidnap Kit (Case of Becky Watts)

A family begged their community to help find their missing 16 year old daughter. #FindBecky started trending on social media. Nobody was prepared to find out that - A 16 year old schoolgirl had been brutally murdered in her own room, decapitated, dismembered, and placed into suitcases. Not long after 6 people were arrested - 2 of them are family members.

90 min

28

Dr. Starvation The Serial Killer (Linda Hazzard & Belle Gunness)

A massive 3 story sanatorium in the isolated woods of Washington. The whispers about what goes on in there - I heard she buries another patient every single day. If you walk past it the scary doctor might snatch you, lock you in a room, and starve you to death. Sounds like campfire scary stories? But what if it’s not. What if this is one of America’s worst female serial killers?

73 min

29

The Pig Farm Serial Killer (Case - Robert Pickton)

Did you know pigs will eat anything? The Pickton Pig Farm - was isolated, private, had its own slaughterhouse equipped with commercial freezers, and hundreds of very hungry pigs. The farm was well known by locals for many things - mainly the smell that radiated from it… but soon it would be known by the whole world. For where 49 women get murdered…

149 min

30

The Death Room Murders (Serial Killer - Dorothea Puente)

You look out your window - the landlord has dug up another large hole in the backyard… they’re always doing strange gardening projects late at night. You walk into the kitchen - there’s that smell again… the landlord says it’s new fertilizer but the smell is distinct. There are usually 8 tenants but once in a while, one will disappear without notice… what really is going on in this house?

84 min

31

Vanished In Tokyo (Case Lucie Blackman / Joji Obara)

A Japanese Hostess Club - purchase a table by the hour - female hostesses will come and sit with you the entire time. They pour your drinks, light your cigarette, flirt with you, and stroke your ego. There’s an unspoken law that all the flirting - was nothing but a fantasy. But when a British Airways flight attendant disappears while working at a hostess club - a question arises… Was her abduction someone’s fantasy?

92 min

32

Vanished In Tokyo Part 2 (Case Lucie Blackman / Joji Obara)

#62: Vanished In Tokyo Part 2 (Case Lucie Blackman / Joji Obara) There is international panic on the fate of the missing British Airways flight attendant… and the crazy leads don’t make it any easier for police. She was sold to the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia). An adult film producer claims his colleague kidnapped her for producing a snuff film. The police finally get their first good lead - they knock on the suspect’s door and open up a can of worms. Why is his dog frozen? What are all the videotapes? How many victims does he really have? *Please listen to Part 1 first (#61)

57 min

33

Yosemite National Park Serial Killer (Case - Steven & Cary Stayner)

Why do so many people go missing in National Parks? Alien conspiracy theory? Government experiments? Or just lost in nature? In this case - it’s none of the above. It’s a serial killer that leaves a trail of bloodshed and a decapitated head bobbing in a stream in Yosemite. Once they catch the killer that’s when the real mystery begins - wasn’t his little brother a national hero? Didn’t they make TV shows about this family? How did one brother become America’s sweetheart and the other America’s heartless serial killer?

130 min

34

The “666” Death (The Man Who Wrote Letters To Serial Killers)

Dear Mr. John Wayne Gacy… That’s how it all started… One letter to the “Clown Killer” who was responsible for 33 murders of young boys - and Jason was hooked. For months he developed relationships and even visited with John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, and Charles Manson. He wanted to get inside their heads - but what happens if they get inside his first?

116 min

35

The Sisterhood Of Torture (Case of Michelle Knotek)

They knew something was different about their family. The sisters saw it. They had guests doing chores - completely nude - in the house. Guests being duct-taped to the walls. They had a man jumping from their roof onto his bare feet over and over again. Until his legs broke. Even all this pain - was nothing compared to the humiliation and psychological torture taking place… what was really going on here? Who would finally tell?

103 min

36

Burned Alive - 7 Hours of Torture (Cheshire Home Invasion Murders)

A family of 4 is startled awake by two masked men - they tell them that everything is going to be okay. We just want money - that’s all. Slowly for the next 7 hours - it becomes clear that’s not all they want. The 11yr old daughter was assaulted. The mother was assaulted and strangled. The house engulfed in flames - all while the police were standing outside. “A thief in the night. I’ve come to steal NOT your jewels and money. But your personal safety, privacy, and security. I violate your inner asylum of intimacy.” - Cheshire Home Invader / Killer.

73 min

37

105 Hostages - The Hijacking of Flight 701 (Case of Roger Holder & Cathy Kerkow)

A man with a briefcase entered the cockpit of Western Flight 701. The man tells the pilots there are 2 bombs on the plane and a grenade in his suitcase. For 20 hours - a couple terrorized the entire flight in hopes of having their demands met. They wanted $3 million dollars in cash, 5 parachutes, a woman on trial for murder to be handed over to them, and a flight to Vietnam. And for decades they got away with it - because the sky is the limit.

99 min

38

The Girl Who Died Twice (Case of Becky Brown & Amy Burridge)

She died twice on that 12 story bridge. The first time - she was thrown off the bridge by two men in hopes of killing her. This would be the only way their night of sick torture would stay secret. The second time - 19 years later. The same bridge. The same spot. The same 120 feet fall. Are the events connected? How does someone die twice?

65 min

39

The Walgreens Killers (Case of Patricia Columbo & Frank Deluca)

When you step into this Walgreens it feels like any other - aisles filled with cosmetics, household goods, and a pharmacy. The employees are kind but they’re harboring their own dark secrets. The woman in cosmetics had inappropriate relations with a German Shepherd and her ex boyfriend refuses to get rid of the incriminating pictures. The store manager has a deadly liking for underage girls. Another employee is plotting the murder of 3 people. But is this really more sinister than your local Walgreens?

84 min

40

The Snuff Film Killers (Serial Killers Leonard Lake & Charles Ng)

Most people collect ordinary things - paintings, books, baseball cards. But what if you could collect your darkest desires? Two men decide they will collect women to be held captive in their torture bunker. The men started gathering all their weapons of torture - power drills, clamps, gags, and pliers… the last thing they needed was a video camera. Because they were going to film it all. The snuff film director, the collector, and the serial killer.

79 min

41

Cannibal Mountain (Case - Uruguayan Rugby Team)

“What’s the last thing you ate?” the doctor asked. All 16 of them responded the same - “human flesh.” A plane of 45 passengers had crashed into the side of a snow covered mountain in the Andes. Yes, it’s freezing, they were only wearing t-shirts, and many were wounded if not dead - but, they will be rescued soon. That was what they put their faith in. But they were wrong. They wouldn’t be rescued for another 72 days and only 16 would get out alive.

86 min

42

The Body In The FBI Agent’s Trunk (Case of Mark Putnam & Susan Smith)

The hardworking FBI agent was on his way to a meeting when he noticed the large crack on the passenger window of his car. How is he going to explain that? He had a lie for the large wound on his hand. What about the deep scratches all over his neck? Surely he could come up with something. Now the only thing left to take care of - was the decomposing body in his trunk. Nothing an FBI agent can’t handle.

93 min

43

Hotel Of Horrors (Serial Killer - H. H. Holmes)

You’ve booked a room in a nice hotel that everyone calls “The Castle.” You quickly realize things are not what it seems here. Doors with spikes attached. Vaults filled with acid. Secret peepholes in the rooms. Staircases that start and stop out of nowhere. You see the “elasticity machine” it’s supposed to stretch your body so you can be taller. The owner wants to create a new race of giants… Everything feels so strange. Why the weird maze like layout? And who is H. H. Holmes?

84 min

44

The Party Monster Murder (Case of Michael Alig)

The hottest clubs in New York City were run by Michael. He knew how to throw a party - serving cat food as appetizers, performances of women pulling Christmas lights out of - well, you know where. A rotating wheel of 6 cow tongues for anyone to “rub” up against. This was the place to be. But when rumors started circling that Michael had injected one of his friends with Drano and dismembered him in his bathtub… nobody believed it. Or maybe they didn’t want to? Because the party must go on. Source: "Party Monster" by James St. James - wow... this book is a first-hand account of the whole scene, the environment, but also the crime. Really fantastic read that goes far more in-depth!

73 min

45

The Mean Girls Killers (Case of Shanda Sharer)

The 4 teenage girls decided they wanted McDonald's for breakfast after their all-nighter. They carefully reverse parked into the lot so that all the bloody handprints on the back of their trunk would be hidden. They ordered a full breakfast - and one of the girls lifted up the sausage patty and giggled “doesn’t this look like Shanda?” The 12-year-old girl that they kidnapped? The one they tortured in unspeakable ways for the past 8 hours? The one that they just burned alive?

87 min

46

The Baskin Robbins Killer (Unsolved Case of Amy Mihaljevic)

The rookie police officer was sent to the local middle school to give a lecture on how to be safe. Stranger Danger! But this town had nothing to worry about - it was a safe small town. The officer left happy with his work - he had no idea that one of the very kids sitting in his lecture would be kidnapped and murdered right after school. This case was unsolved in the FBI files for over 30 years… but would a woman’s phone call in 2020 finally catch the child killer?

74 min

47

A High Schooler, A Stripper & A Suspicious Mom (Case of Franklin Floyd)

Sharon - the high school student with straight A’s. She seemed perfect - but why does a 14-year-old have a closet full of lingerie and provocative clothes? Tonya - the mom who took a job as a dancer at a club. She was found dead on the side of the road. But why is her husband acting so strange? Sandra - the mom whose baby was kidnapped. But why are there rumors that Sandra sold her child? And how do these three individual stories collide into one big devious mess?

77 min

48

Isolated For 27 Years (Case of Christopher Knight)

In 27 years he only spoke one word. “Hi.” For decades he lived without a mirror - he had forgotten what he had looked like. He had no friends, no family, no pets, no emotional attachments - those were all cut off the day he disappeared. When he is finally arrested after 27 years - the questions remain. Why did a 20-year-old walk into the woods and decide to disappear? Was he running from something? Does he know something we don’t? And what happens to someone who has no social contact for 27 years?

53 min

49

The FaceBook Killers (Case of The Potter Family)

What would you do if someone unfriended you on Facebook? You probably wouldn’t even notice. Maybe you confront them. Or maybe you sneak into their house and brutally murder them and their significant other… How dare they unfriend you on Facebook? This case is filled with twists, delusions, social media drama, and so much cat-fishing that you start to believe there’s no way this is real. But you know what they say - social media can be deadly

72 min

50

The 10 Year Old Killers (Case of James Bulger)

When 2-year-old James goes missing at the mall his mom is quick to start her frantic search. Within seconds he had disappeared into the crowd. When the police arrive and show her the CCTV footage everyone is relieved. James had been lured out of the mall by two 10-year-old boys. Thank god it’s not some creepy old man. Nobody had any clue that these 10-year-olds were planning a murder.

78 min

51

Friday The 13th Axe Killer (Case of Candy Montgomery)

The investigators arrived at the scene - it was Friday the 13th and the victim had been brutally killed with an axe. The victim suffered over 40 stabs with a 3ft long axe and half of her face was missing. Was it a gang? A serial killer? It definitely wasn’t the cute little housewife that makes taco salad, takes painting classes, and was headed for church that day - because that would be crazy.

92 min

52

The Ballroom Murders (Case of John List)

Wanda was reading a tabloid of “The Perfect Crime.” She couldn’t believe it - how does a family man just viciously murder his entire family in their 19 bedroom mansion? And the worst part is he got away with it and has been on the run for 18 years. At that moment she looked up and saw the killer. Staring back at her. Only it wasn’t John List. It was her new neighbor… or was it?

63 min

53

The Tooth Fairy Serial Killer (Case of Snowtown Murders)

You walk into an empty abandoned bank. You walk straight for the vault. Sure, you know there won’t be anything of value left but you can’t help but try. In there you see a strange sight. 6 giant barrels lined up against the wall. Maybe they’re filled with money? Or maybe it contains the tortured, dismembered, and cannibalized remains of 8 people. Well, go on - open it.

112 min

54

The Girl In The Doghouse (Case of Cinnamon Brown)

If you saw Patti & David walk down the street they look like the perfect couple. But those who knew them looked like they had seen a ghost. The whispers - but David’s wife was only recently murdered. What about the girl that the police found in his doghouse? And why is the younger sister of his dead wife wearing all of her clothes and jewelry? Strange things happen in perfect towns.

90 min

55

The Rockefeller Murder (Case of Clark Rockefeller)

Did you hear? The upper elite of New York City had a new resident - Clark Rockefeller. You know - from the billionaire Rockefeller family. He swooped in with his impeccable designer suits, tens of millions worth of art, and his old beat down car. Some might think that to be strange. But you know what they say - old money never flaunts. But why did he kidnap his 7-year-old daughter in the middle of the street? And how is he related to the Sohus family murders from 20 years ago?

79 min

56

The Mysterious Disappearance of Kristin Smart

After a rough start, Kristin was adjusting well at Cal Poly. She made friends and even took a lifeguard position that required her to get up by 4:20 AM. And then she disappeared. Nearby, Mary had just rented a new house but the problem was that dang alarm. It would go off every day at 4:20 AM and she didn’t know where it was. But strangely it wasn’t coming inside the house. But outside. Sounded like it was buried. But who would buy a stopwatch? '

46 min

57

The Devil’s Pass Killers (Case of Elizabeth Peña & Jennifer Ertman)

Joe wasn’t your average Joe - he wanted to be someone spectacular. Someone to be feared. He skipped class, stole cars, carried guns, and even managed to get a girlfriend named Esther. So when he saw the “E” ring he knew he had to have it - to give to his girlfriend. He leaned over and pulled it off the girl’s lifeless hand. The girl that he and his friends had just murdered.

86 min

58

The Girl Under The Mattress (Kidnapping of Shannon Matthews)

The police had been searching for Shannon for 24 days - a search that would cost taxpayers over $3.2 million. The police were doing yet another routine search of a house they heard a tiny voice call out “stop it you’re scaring me.” Shivers went down their spine. Where is that coming from? Inside the bed? They looked closer and realized the 9-year-old was underneath the mattress… They asked her “well where is the man that took you?” She pointed at the bed…

76 min

59

The Butcher Of Kansas Serial Killer (Case of Bob Berdella)

“Welcome to Bob’s Bazaar Bizarre” - the small shop for oddities from around the world. May Bob interest you in some genuine human skulls? Perhaps a shrunken head in a jar? When you leave the shop’s bizarre environment you can’t help but wonder… that Bob guy is so strange… And how does he even collect so many real human skulls? You can’t help but wonder what Bob does in his free time to enlarge his collection.

83 min

60

Trapped For 70 Days (Case of the Tininenkos & James Fisher)

3 people stranded on a boat in the middle of the ocean. 1 of them has lied to the others. The truth will have deadly consequences. 1 of them is hiding a big secret from the others. A secret she doesn’t want to get out. And only 1 will survive the 70 day ordeal.

70 min

61

Teacher Stalked By Student For 15 Years (Case of Mary & Beth Stauffer)

He wasn’t like the other boyfriends and husbands. He treasured every single moment that he spent with her. When they went grocery shopping he studied her favorite foods and brands. When they went shopping he admired all the clothes that she picked out and watched her try them on. Sure - she was married but that can’t stop true love. And what if she doesn’t know him yet? Once he kidnaps her - she will fall in love.

67 min

62

The Hair Fetish Serial Killer (Case of Danilo Restivo)

Her body was found by her own children. When the police rushed to the scene they were shocked. She had been brutally mutilated - but something curious was in her hands. They were the keys to solving the case. A clump of hair was found in each hand - when they ran the DNA… One locket of hair belonged to her - the other an unidentifiable woman. A ritualistic killing with an emphasis on women’s long hair. Who is this strange killer? And will they catch him in time?

58 min

63

The Mommy Blogger Killer (Case of Lacey Spears)

She was rushing to the emergency room - her 5-year-old son was in the back. Every minute could mean life or death. He had been having seizures all day. But before entering the hospital she stood over her suffering son and took a picture. What would she caption this one? Maybe she would mention how this was going to be his 13th surgery. Yeah, that would be good. The followers would eat that up.

80 min

64

The Baby Faced Killer (Case of Gonzales Family Murders)

The goal was simple. Break into the house - sneak into the upstairs room and murder the 18 year old high school girl. Now comes the hard part - the wait. Waiting in an eerily silent house near the body of the young girl till her parents come home. They too have to be murdered. Now for the finishing touches. Write on the walls in big blue spray paint “f**k off Asians KKK.”

67 min

65

Kidnapped By North Korea Part 1 (Case of Choi Eun-hee)

She couldn’t believe it. They wanted her to write a letter to her kidnappers thanking them for all that they have done for her. Are these people out of their minds? She missed her old life in South Korea - she had been a famous movie actress, her children, freedom, she missed it all. Now she was kidnapped in a foreign country forced to write letters of love to the men who ordered it. She started the letter - Dear Kim Jong Il The Supreme Leader of North Korea…

78 min

66

Kidnapped By North Korea Part 2 (Case of Choi Eun-hee)

You want us to do what? - the couple had been kidnapped and forced to live in North Korea for years before they found out the truth. The wife was a former beloved movie actress. The husband was an award-winning film director. And now North Korea had kidnapped them to make movies for Kim Jong Il. It sounds like a fictional story - but it was very much real. And the couple’s lives depended on how good of a movie they could make. (Please listen to Part 1 before this episode!)

48 min

67

The Kindergarten Teacher Killer (Case of Angila Wilder)

First day of Kindergarten is always a nerve-racking time for parents. But when they meet Mrs. W their tensions are probably eased. She has a soft face with a dirty blonde bob and she’s a mom of three! She seems like the perfect teacher - kind, nurturing, sweet. But when she’s with the police she’s a totally different person. “I want to see where it stabbed her.” “I want to see a video of them having s** with my husband!” It makes you wonder - how well do we actually know our teachers?

88 min

68

Mom & Son Incest Killers (Case of Sante Kimes)

When you walked by her house in the exclusively rich part of Newport Beach California you would never think it holds such sinister secrets. She was holding young women captive in her house and would be arrested for slavery charges. After escaping from prison - she went on to brutally murder and scam her way into millions of dollars with her boyfriend. Who is her boyfriend you ask? Well, none other than her very own son. And just when you think you know her - she surprises you.

70 min

69

The Case of Gabby Petito & Jelani Day

The couple embarked on a cross country trip in their converted van to experience the beauty of the national parks. They documented their trip, posted on Instagram, YouTube, they were in the process of starting their blog. But only one came back. How is that possible? Where did Gabby go? Why did Brian - her fiance - come back with the van without her? And now with Gabby’s body found and Brian is now missing - the ongoing investigation is only getting muddier.

60 min

70

Body In The High School Gym (Case of Kendrick Johnson)

All morning there had been whispers at LHS - they found a student’s body in the old gym. The body of 17 year old KJ had been found rolled up into a giant gym mat about 6ft tall. When the police arrive they rule out foul play - they believe KJ willingly went into the mat where he would later suffocate to death. But what about all the other strange evidence? The blood on the gym walls, the FBI agent’s high school son who had problems with KJ, and why were KJ’s organs missing?

59 min

71

The Chicken Coop Serial Killers (Case of Gordon Northcott)

“Ooooh Sanford get out here! I have a present for you - it’s in the bucket!” Sanford didn’t understand why his uncle was so giddy to be back to the chicken farm but he rushed outside. He peered into the bucket for his surprise. Immediately he wanted to gag. Why did his uncle bring home roadkill? Why did it look like the animal had a wig on? “Look closer Sanford.” - Uncle Stew ordered. And that’s when Sanford realized - this isn’t roadkill. It’s not an animal. It’s the severed head of a young boy not much older than him…

68 min

72

The Werewolf of Russia (Serial Killer Mikhail Popkov)

The 17 year old girl woke up in a panic. Where was she? It was so bright and cold - a hospital? She turned her head to the left - a pale dead body. She tried to scream but her voice wouldn’t work. She looked to her right - a dead body. She wanted to jump up and run out of there but half of her body was now paralyzed. She had woken up in a morgue with half her hair torn out, she couldn’t move, and she didn’t even remember her name. All she knew was earlier she was in a forest staring at the werewolf.

44 min

73

The Nurse Killer From Hell (Case of Richard Speck)

The 7 nursing students were huddled in their dorm room bunk beds - panicking about what to do next. They had been tied up by an intruder. They waited till he came back into the room and he pointed at a nurse “you.” He escorted her out and tortured her for 30 minutes. She would never return. One by one - like a ritual the killer escorted out nurses to their death. The hostage room went from 7 to 6 then 5…4…3…2… Then there was one. How will she escape?

50 min

74

The Strangler Tree Deaths (Case of Bhatia Family Deaths)

The banyan tree is a terrifyingly beautiful sight. It looks like it's draped in a shredded cloak… with its long roots suspended from the branches - hanging eerily straight towards the ground. That’s the first thing the officer thought of when he walked into the family home. 11 people dead. 10 hanging. Together, perfectly spaced out, 10 family members were suspended from the ceiling like the roots of a banyan tree. Suspended. 3 generations of a family had been wiped out. But why?

52 min

75

The Ripper of China (Serial Killer Gao Chengyong)

They sat around the dinner table - whispering. As if the man the town called “The Ripper” could hear them. “Don’t wear red shoes - he will kill all girls wearing red shoes.” “I thought it was red clothes?” “I heard it was girls with long hair - because it’s easier to grab when they try to run away.” Whatever it is - we have to try it all. Cut your hair. Throw out your red clothes because if The Ripper gets a hold of you… He will leave you without your hands, ears, breasts, and sometimes even the skin on your back.

67 min

76

The Haunting of Corpsewood Manor (Case of Dr. Charles Scudder)

Charles took a step back from his self-portrait. He was just adding his finishing touches of paint. “Are you sure this is what you saw? This is how I’m going to die?” “Yes” the voice said. The painting showed Charles with a gag in his mouth and 5 bullet wounds on his forehead. It was a gruesome piece of art but everyone that knew Charles said he was just “eccentric.” They had no idea that’s almost exactly how Charles would later be found at the crime scene. With the painting hanging above him…

43 min

77

The Barbie Doll Kidnapper (Case of Katie Beers)

“Big John” loved his little apartment. It wasn’t nice but it was his. He was in his 40’s and he wanted to decorate it with whatever style he pleased. His bedroom was more of a game room with a mattress on the ground. The walk-in closet was wall-to-wall with the newest and latest games. Nintendo games, board games, barbies, you name it. His drawers were stuffed full with candy and his mini-fridge only had soda in it. The only thing is - none of these things were for Big John.

66 min

78

The Angel of Death (Serial Killer Jane Toppan)

You look around - you’re in the hospital but you feel trapped. Why can’t you talk? Why can’t you move? You start to feel your body involuntarily shake… The nurse noticed and rushed to your bedside. Good, someone is coming to help. She pulls back your covers and crawls into the bed with you. She’s stroking your hair, kissing your face, and wants to look you directly in the eye as your pupils dilate, violently convulse, and you take your last breath. You were always her favorite patient… right?

48 min

79

The Vampire of Düsseldorf (Case of Peter Kürten)

This night was special from the rest - he felt his stomach rumble violently. Oh no. He bent over and threw up everything… What was the problem? He was used to drinking all night - in fact, it was his only true joy. Maybe it was her fault. He looked down at the girl laying on the ground covered in her own blood. Maybe her blood just didn’t sit right in his stomach. He is, after all, the Vampire of Düsseldorf.

59 min

80

The Alcàsser Girls (Case of Toñi, Desirée, & Miriam)

#110: The Alcàsser Girls (Case of Toñi, Desirée, & Miriam) The beekeeper called for his friend - “Jose you need to come now!” He had found something near the abandoned house. They rushed over to a small pit on the ground covered with branches. They bent down - used an old spatula to move around the dirt. It was a watch. They screamed…the watch was still attached to its owner. The two men unknowingly discovered the bodies of 3 missing girls, that would lead the whole country down a rabbit hole of conspiracies, scandal, and a man on Interpol’s most-wanted list.

66 min

81

The Hillside Stranglers (Case of Angelo Buono Jr & Kenneth Bianchi)

Kenny was ecstatic - he was finally moving to LA where he would chase his dreams. To make things better his older cousin was letting him stay at his house. He would also teach him a few lessons on how to be successful. “Lesson #1: You gotta hit the bullseye. Make it your target. Right between the legs. Always use a wet towel. It doesn’t leave bruise marks. Oh, and Kenny? Don’t chicken out when you strangle them.” The two cousins would be known as the “Hillside Stranglers” and they would leave behind a trail of bodies all over the hills of LA.

70 min

82

The Hillside Stranglers Part 2 (Case of Angelo Buono Jr & Kenneth Bianchi)

Family should always be close. The two cousins did everything together. They slept with their son's underage girlfriends together, started a business, and even lived together. They wanted to experience life’s greatest pleasures - together, as a family. The rush of injecting a woman with Windex (the window cleaner) to see how they would convulse. The rush of hooking up a woman to electrical wires from an auto shop. The rush of leaving naked bodies all over happy Los Angeles. They did it all - as a family.

79 min

83

The Pharmacy Killer (Twisted Case of Sheila Davalloo)

#113: The Pharmacy Killer (Twisted Case of Sheila Davalloo) It’s healthy for couples to talk to each other. That’s exactly what Mrs. C was trying to do to keep her marriage alive. She would come home to tell her husband about the love triangle at work. “Melissa loves Jack but Jack is seeing Anna” can you believe it? At first, it seemed like innocent coworker drama but slowly it got sinister. Mrs. C wanted to help Melissa spy on the couple, hack into voicemails, and even break into apartments. Mr. C also knew all about Melissa & Jack’s sex life. How in love they were behind Anna’s back. But he didn’t know that his wife was telling him all the dirty details of her own affair. Or that it would lead to two people being stabbed.

88 min

84

The Creepy Father In Law Diaries (Case of Susan & Josh Powell)

He wrote in his diary everyday about his love and desire for Susan. He took hundreds of pictures of Susan - of her getting dressed, eating cereal, using the restroom, even shopping at Costco. Her husband was no good for her. They were not in love. Not like the way he and Susan were in love. You probably guessed it but Susan had no idea that he was in love with her. And she definitely wasn’t interested in dating her father-in-law. When Susan went missing - all his creepy secrets would be exposed. But you know what they say - like father like son.

98 min

85

The Crime Show Copycat Killer (Case of Jason Bautista)

Jason was a straight A college student, with 2 jobs, and his favorite show was “The Sopranos.” He was a nice kid with a bright future ahead of him. One day police found Jason’s mom had gone missing. Jason was worried. He had thrown her headless body off a cliff - just like what he learned from his favorite show. But he had been so busy - that he hadn’t gotten around to burning her head and her hands. They were still sitting in the closet waiting for him.

77 min

86

Eaten by Alligators or Murdered at Lake Seminole (Case of Mike Williams)

Alligators are one of the world’s oldest predators. Their bite is 3x stronger than that of a lion. So it was a no-brainer to police when they were told Mike Williams went missing at Lake Seminole. “He was eaten alive - maybe they took his body to their dens for later food.” - they thought. But when pieces of clothes that presumably belonged to Mike surfaced - people were confused. There were in pristine condition. Practically new. The dark waters and mystery at Lake Seminole will haunt 4 families for over 20 years. But the truth will eventually come to shore.

108 min

87

The Monster of Italy And His Sick “Trophies” (Serial Killer)

In Florence, Italy - it’s said that 1/3 of people are conceived in cars. Young couples would drive up the isolated hills to have some fun - and creepers would flock to watch them. They would watch, record, “enjoy” themselves, and then go home. Except for one creeper - he wanted more. He would ambush the couple right after they were done - and drag the woman out of the car to take something for himself. His little trophies…

111 min

88

5 Teens Went Into The Woods - Only 1 Walked Out (Case of “Gitchie Girl”)

In the halls of their high school - nobody dared to walk near her. Most of the students pretended they didn’t see her, hear her, or know her. If you were new there you might ask - “What did she do?” “Oh, you don’t know? That’s Gitchie Girl. She went into the woods with 4 of her friends and she’s the only one that came out alive. And we all know that Gitchie Girl is hiding something.”

88 min

89

The Death List - The Scorecard Serial Killer (Case of Randy Kraft)

The highway patrol officers turned on their sirens. 2nd drunk driver of the night. This guy was worse than the first. He had a friend in the passenger seat - drunk, passed out, and he didn’t even realize they had been pulled over. He sat there sleeping while the driver was being arrested. “Come on bud time to find a new ride” - the officer tapped the window. That’s when he realized - the passenger wasn’t drunk. He was dead.

60 min

90

The Olympian Mommy Killer (Case of Keli Lane & Her Secret Kids)

Bbzzz - when the buzzer goes off they know it’s game time. The high contact sport of water polo begins. For the next few hours - they attack, get dragged underwater, and they try to win at all costs. And then afterward the team will reward themselves with shots at the bars. Keli was nervous. She didn’t know how to sneak out of the party early without anyone knowing. But what choice did she have? She was going to give birth tonight. In secret. For the second time.

96 min

91

The House of Gucci Murder (Case of Maurizio Gucci)

“Welcome to the House of Gucci.” You’re instantly hit with the smell of leather and well - money. This is what Gucci is all about - wealth, excess, and opulence. It’s a household name. But have you heard of the Gucci killer? The one fueled by lust, greed, and counterfeit bags. The one that would kill in the name of Gucci. They say money can’t buy happiness - but it’ll get you a whole lot of Gucci.

95 min

92

The Billionaire Inside 3 Suitcases (Case of Elize Matsunaga)

He was about to sell his family company and become a billionaire. But then he went missing. In order to find him, the police had to dig into his personal life. Why was a private detective following him? Who hired them? What’s on the videos the PI took of him? Why was he visiting a very shady chat forum every single day - what kind of information was he looking for on there? And most importantly - did the dismembered body parts scattered on the side of the road have anything to do with this?

56 min

93

The Murdaugh Family Murders

They say family secrets are like vampires - they never really die. The Murdaugh family knows this better than anyone. For generations, they were one of the most powerful, wealthiest, families in South Carolina. But when those around them start mysteriously dying… and even two of their own end up dead. You have to wonder - is someone finally getting their revenge on the untouchable family? An eye for an eye? Or are the Murdaugh family secrets out for blood?

77 min

94

The Bizarre Case of Amanda Knox

The American exchange student skipped home - her life in Italy was perfect. She had great roommates and a new Italian boyfriend. Nothing could ruin her time abroad. That is - till she finds the door to her apartment wide open, blood smeared all over her bathroom, and one of her roommates dead in her room. Her “strange behavior” makes her a target for the police. I mean would an innocent person do yoga in the police station, journal about pizza during an interrogation, and “make-out” with her boyfriend while police are around?

87 min

95

The “Angel Face Killer With Demon Eyes” (Case of Amanda Knox Part 2)

The stories were becoming wilder. Did you know that right after killing her roommate with her boyfriend - she took a shower in the blood-soaked bathroom? She killed her roommate over a threesome gone wrong! She even did cartwheels, backflips, and splits in the police station. If this were true she just might be the evilest woman in all of Italy. But what if it wasn’t? What if this was an innocent woman spending 5 years in prison for a murder that she did not commit?

101 min

96

Mom “Cures” Son With Incest (Murder of Barbara Baekeland)

Tony was getting fed up. His friend wasn’t listening to him. “No no no you don’t get it! I’m f***ing my mother!” - he screamed. The restaurant went quiet. Tony came from a strange family, to say the least. His great-grandparents were the creators of plastic. Yes, plastic. His mom was an eccentric aspiring author working on her debut novel about a mom who seduces her son on a yacht - that everyone believed to be more of an autobiography. Strange? Sure. Homicidal? Absolutely.

80 min