True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

It’s a case that has stumped generations of detectives and Internet sleuths. On Sept. 16, 2009, 24-year-old Richardson was arrested at an oceanside Malibu restaurant and taken to Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. With no money, no phone, and no ride, and in the midst of what was later described by law enforcement as a severe bipolar episode, Richardson was released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. just after midnight, and disappeared into the night. Her whereabouts confounded authorities for nearly a year until her skeletonized and partially mummified remains were found on Aug. 9, 2010, up rugged Dark Canyon, some six miles away from the station.There was no sign of trauma to Mitrice’s remains and the coroner could not determine the cause of death. But Mitrice’s death was undoubtedly suspicious. Her bra, belt, and jeans were found some distance from her body; the rest of her clothing was never found. And investigators never recovered a tiny bone called the hyoid, which often breaks when a person is strangled.A tenacious reporter and gifted storyteller, Goodyear spent the past five years on the case, leading her and her co-reporter, Hayley Fox, to the secluded tight-knit mountain community of Monte Nido where Mitrice was last seen. Driven by conversations with Richardson’s grieving friends and family and undeterred by the scant clues that have been picked through by dozens of previous investigations, LOST HILLS: Dark Canyon probes where others have not, including Richardson’s never-before-seen personal journals, new eyewitness interviews, and new potential forensic evidence. In 12 gripping episodes, Goodyear painstakingly builds a case that Mitrice’s death involved foul play—and she identifies a potential suspect. LOST HILLS: Dark Canyon-Season 4-Dana Goodyear  Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

On May 31, 1985, two days before her high school graduation, Shari Smith was abducted from the driveway of her family home in South Carolina. Based on the crime scene and the abductor’s repeated and taunting calls to the family, law enforcement quickly realized they were dealing with a sophisticated and highly dangerous criminal. A letter arrived the next day entitled “Last Will & Testament,” in which Shari, knowing she was to be murdered, wrote bravely and achingly of her love for her parents, siblings, and boyfriend, saying that while they would miss her, she knew they would persevere through their faith. The abduction rocked her quiet town, triggering a massive manhunt and bringing in the FBI, which enlisted profiler John Douglas. A few days later, a phone call told the family where they could find Shari’s body.Then nine-year-old Debra May Helmick was kidnapped from her yard, confirming the harsh realization that Smith’s murder was no random act. A serial killer was evolving, and the only way to stop him would be to use the study of criminal behavior to anticipate his next move before he could kill again. Douglas devised a risky and emotionally fraught strategy to use Shari’s lookalike older sister Dawn as bait to draw out the unknown subject. Dawn and her parents courageously agreed.One of the most haunting investigations of Douglas’s storied career, this case details how the eerily accurate profile he created—alongside his carefully crafted and stage-managed manipulation of the killer’s psychology—combined with dedicated police work and cutting-edge forensic science to end a reign of criminal terror. As Shari’s family took incredible personal risks to lure her killer from the shadows, Douglas and the FBI pushed criminal profiling to its limits, culminating in one of his most dramatic and effective confrontations with a sadistic and remorseless killer. WHEN A KILLER CALLS: A Haunting Story of Murder, Criminal Profiling, and Justice in a Small Town-John Douglas Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

Before the sensational cases of Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony—before even Lizzie Borden—there was Polly Bodine, the first American woman put on trial for capital murder in America’s debut media circus.On Christmas night, December 25, 1843, in a serene village on Staten Island, shocked neighbors discovered the burnt remains of twenty-four-year-old mother Emelin Houseman and her infant daughter, Ann Eliza. In a perverse nativity, someone bludgeoned to death a mother and child in their home—and then covered up the crime with hellfire.When an ambitious district attorney charges Polly Bodine (Emelin’s sister-in-law) with a double homicide, the new “penny press” explodes. Polly is a perfect media villain: she’s a separated wife who drinks gin, commits adultery, and has had multiple abortions. Between June 1844 and April 1846, the nation was enthralled by her three trials—in Staten Island, Manhattan, and Newburgh—for the “Christmas murders.”After Polly’s legal dream team entered the fray, the press and the public debated not only her guilt, but her character and fate as a fallen woman in society. Public opinion split into different camps over her case. Edgar Allen Poe and Walt Whitman covered her case as young newsmen. P. T. Barnum made a circus out of it. James Fenimore Cooper’s last novel was inspired by her trials.The Witch of New York is the first narrative history about the dueling trial lawyers, ruthless newsmen, and shameless hucksters who turned the Polly Bodine case into America’s formative tabloid trial. An origin story of how America became addicted to sensationalized reporting of criminal trials, The Witch of New York vividly reconstructs an epic mystery from Old New York—and uses the Bodine case to challenge our system of tabloid justice of today. THE WITCH OF NEW YORK-The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice-Alex Hortis Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

A Harvest of Innocence is Dan Stidham's story, until now untold, regarding his involvement in the West Memphis 3 murder case. He stepped into its current as a young lawyer, unaware of its strength and the immutable, unpredictable eddies that would forever change his life and his view of the law. He tells it now because it must be told. He spent most of the past 30 years viewed in widely disparate lights. In the beginning, to some he was a pariah, a man so bold as to represent a teenager accused of being a Satanic child killer. Much later, others began to respect his efforts in seeking justice for Jessie Misskelley. In the real world, it is much more complicated than that. He was nothing more than a lawyer committed to doing his job, what was required of him by his moral compass. As a reward for his efforts, he spent a good deal of the past 30 years being pummeled by those hellbent on stopping his quest for justice for the West Memphis 3, young men who spent nearly two decades in prison for heinous crimes they simply did not commit. This is the true story of those events. A HARVEST OF INNOCENCE: The Untold Story of the West Memphis Three Murder Case-Dan Stidham Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

Award-winning author and journalist Ivor Davis, author of Manson Exposed: A reporter's 50-year journey into Madness and Murder discusses he and his wife Sally's investigation into their longtime friend and neighbor when he is arrested for the murder of his wife and stepson.Ivor and Sally Davis were horrified when their Malibu neighbors, Verna Roehler and her son, Doug died in a terrible boating accident. The nightmare only continued when her husband, their friend, Fred Roehler, was arrested and then convicted for their murder. As investigative writers they set out hoping to find Roehler innocent—instead they found a viper’s nest of deceit and murder. THE DEVIL IN MY FRIEND: The Inside Story of a Malibu Murder-Ivor Davis Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

Step back in time to the winter of 1929, where the magic of Christmas in Brooklyn, New York, was shattered by a heinous act that reverberated through the ages. In "The Murder of Mary Falzone: A Shocking True Crime Story,” Rod Kackley unravels the chilling tale of a family torn apart by an explosion that claimed the lives of Mary, Philip, and Rose Falzone, innocent children whose lives were extinguished by a bomb disguised as a holiday gift.As the city grappled with the aftermath of this unspeakable tragedy, a relentless investigation unfolded to unmask the perpetrators behind the merciless attack. Rod Kackley takes readers on a gripping journey through the dark alleys of 1920s Brooklyn, where organized crime thrived, and the thin line between justice and retribution blurred. The narrative unfolds like a suspenseful thriller, capturing the tension of a city on the brink.Through painstaking research and vivid storytelling, Rod Kackley paints a vivid picture of a bygone era, immersing readers in the sights, sounds, and emotions of a community grappling with grief and the quest for justice.As the investigation deepens, readers will be engrossed by the cast of characters—dedicated detectives, grieving family members, and the shadowy figures lurking in the criminal underworld. The book unveils the layers of deception and betrayal that led to that fateful December morning, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with every revelation."The Murder of Mary Falzone" transcends the true crime genre, becoming a poignant exploration of the enduring quest for justice and the impact of violence on a family and a community. This is a tale that goes beyond the headlines, inviting readers to contemplate the fragility of life and the strength that can emerge in the face of tragedy. Gripping, evocative, and profoundly moving, this true crime narrative is a must-read for those seeking an unforgettable journey into the heart of a dark chapter in American history. THE MURDER OF MARY FALZONE: A Shocking True Crime Story-Rod KackleyRitual.com/Murder  Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

No Hollywood script can compare to the terror of the 37 true tales in OF MOBSTERS AND MOVIE STARS: The Bloody "Golden Age" of Hollywood!In this gripping historical account, expert crime historian Joan Renner explores the shadowy world of fame and crime during Hollywood's most glamorous era. As Los Angeles transformed into the epicenter of film, it also became a haven for notorious criminals and mobsters, weaving a complex tapestry of allure and danger that is sure to intrigue.Renner brings to life stories that are more thrilling than fiction, including harrowing LAPD showdowns, dark dealings behind the studio gates, and tragic fates of luminaries whose off-screen lives were as dramatic as their on-screen personas. The most shocking murder stories from this collection that Joan and I discuss are: Bluebeard Watson; The Attic Love Slave; The Adventures of Tiger Girl; and Torso Murder. OF MOBSTERS AND MOVIE STARS offers a profound and enlightening look at Hollywood's dual nature, illustrating how its seductive glitter was deeply entangled with its sinister impulses. Step into the Prohibition Era with Joan Renner as she reveals the hidden crimes and undying ambition behind Hollywood's shimmering façade. OF MOBSTERS AND MOVIE STARS: The Bloody "Golden Age" of Hollywood-Joan Renner Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

In 2004, the FBI was tipped off to a gruesome pattern of unsolved murders along American roadways. Today at least 850 homicides have been linked to a solitary breed of predators: long-haul truck drivers. They have been given names like the “Truck Stop Killer,” who rigged a traveling torture chamber in the rear of his truck and is suspected to have killed fifty women, and “The Interstate Strangler,” who once answered a phone call from his mother while killing one of his dozen victims. The crisis was such that the FBI opened a special unit, the Highway Serial Killings Initiative. In many cases, the victims—often at-risk women—are picked up at truck stops in one jurisdiction, sexually assaulted and murdered in another, and dumped along a highway in a third place. The transient nature of the offenders and multiple jurisdictions involved make these cases incredibly difficult to solve.Based on his own on-the-ground research and drawing on his twenty-five-year career as an FBI special agent, Frank Figliuzzi investigates the most terrifying cases. He also rides in a big-rig with a long-haul trucker for thousands of miles, gaining an intimate understanding of the life and habits of drivers and their roadside culture. And he interviews the courageous trafficked victims of these crimes, and their inspiring efforts to now help others avoid similar fates.Long Haul is a gripping exploration of a violent, disordered world hiding in plain sight, and the heroes racing to end the horror. It will forever unsettle how you travel on the road. LONG HAUL: Hunting The Highway Serial Killers-Frank Figliuzzi Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

On August 23, 1987, the body of Selonia Reed, 26, was found partially clothed in the passenger seat of her car in an empty parking lot in Hammond, Louisiana. She had sustained incredible blunt force trauma to her head and face, her upper body suffering more than a dozen stab wounds from an-ice pick type weapon. Killed elsewhere, her body drained of blood, she had been displayed, sexually violated with an umbrella. Police investigated but with little evidence the case soon went cold.Selonia's son Reggie Reed Jr. was only 6 years old.Reggie Reed Sr. alone raised his son, and over the years Reggie Jr.  managed to somehow recover from the incredible trauma, get married, have a family and become a business success. Then in 2019, a cigarette butt found at the crime scene of Selonia Reed was tested for DNA—and police found a match and made an arrest. The ex-con made a plea deal for Accessory After the Fact—naming Reggie Reed Sr. as the killer of Selonia Reed.   The Day My Mother Never Came Home is not simply a true crime tale; it is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the importance of shedding light on the truth. Listen to Reed as he grapples with raw emotions and questions the complexities of true justice. His story will leave an indelible mark on your heart and mind, compelling you to reflect on the fragility of life and the strength it takes to overcome tragedy. THE DAY MY MOTHER NEVER CAME HOME-Reggie L. Reed Jr. Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

In 1992, a store clerk was found shot to death in broad daylight at the Boot Village in St. Charles, Missouri. Nothing was stolen and there was no sexual assault. This bizarre and seemingly isolated murder was quickly connected with others in Indianapolis, Wichita, Terre Haute, and Raytown. The media dubbed the suspect “The I-70 Serial Killer.” He has never been captured, and the story quickly fell out of the media’s attention. But the cases never went cold for the officers in those cities.In 2021, with the advancements in DNA, St. Charles Police Captain Raymond Floyd launched a task force, bringing all jurisdictions together along with federal agencies to take one final crack at solving the crimes. The task force selected Bob Cyphers of KMOV-TV to follow them along, city by city, in the hunt for the killer. Cyphers and his KMOV crew produced a seven-part award winning series called “Chasing the I-70 Serial Killer.” Their work led to national exposure of the case in People magazine and on the Discovery Channel, winning an Edward R. Murrow Award and being nominated for an Emmy.Dead End: Inside the Hunt for the I-70 Serial Killer follows on the work done by the task force with the important goal of keeping the story alive in the public eye. New evidence, never before available to the public, is revealed here, with the hopes of triggering a memory or revealing a new lead. The task force may be closed, but the drive to find this killer is alive and well. DEAD END: Inside the Hunt for the I-70 Serial Killer-Bob Cyphers Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com