True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

In November 1970, Charles Manson was sentenced to death for the horrifying and cold-blooded murders of seven people near Los Angeles. His sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment after California abolished its death penalty. At Manson's trial, lead prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi spun the story of a demonic cult leader who hypnotized people to commit murder. He published his theory in Helter Skelter, the bestselling true crime book of all time.When author Marlin Marynick was eight years old, he discovered a beat up copy of Helter Skelter. The book’s portrayal of Charles Manson as an icon of unbridled evil haunted Marynick for years, well into his career as a psychiatric nurse. So when a chance conversation with a man selling Manson memorabilia on the Internet facilitated a connection to Manson himself, Marynick went along for the ride. This happenstance journey introduced Marynick to Manson’s closest confidants, eager to share Manson’s story, his talent, his passion, and his philosophy. The adventure crescendoed through Marynick’s phone conversations with Manson and ultimately culminated when the two met behind the tightly locked doors of California's Corcoran State Prison.Charles Manson Now is a critical dissection of what happened forty-one years ago, when Manson family members stormed the Polanski estate and murdered five people, among them one of America’s most beautiful, beloved actresses, Sharon Tate.The book is also a collage of Manson’s own writing, a poetic, ironic, and disturbing account of his universe, from his childhood to his time in the 8x12 prison cell where he is condemned to stay forever. It is Charles Manson, uncensored, unedited, in his own words. CHARLES MANSON NOW-Marlin Marynick 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 April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left an indelible stamp on the American psyche. Their plan was staggering: to blow up their school, surpass Oklahoma City in horror, and leave "a lasting impression on the world." The bombs failed. But the unprecedented attack unleashed a new era of violence in schools—branding every future shooting "another Columbine."When we think of Columbine, we think of the Trench Coat Mafia; Cassie Bernall, mistaken Columbine martyr; and Patrick Ireland, "the boy in the window"—the whole world watching his gutsy escape. Now, in a gripping work of journalism a full decade in the making, comes the story we never knew. In this revelatory book, Dave Cullen debunks the myths and produces a profile of teen killers that burrows to the core of psychopathology. He reveals two radically different killers: Eric Harris, the callously brutal mastermind, and Dylan Klebold, the quivering depressive who journaled obsessively about love and attended the Columbine prom three days before opening fire.Columbine unfolds seamlessly, in an unforgettable tale of two honor students with a healthy circle of friends, secretly stockpiling a cache of weapons in the basement. They recorded their vitriol on film while manipulating every adult who could have stopped them. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left warnings all around them—described by Cullen with a sharp investigative eye and psychological acumen. Culling from hundreds of interviews, thousands of police files, testimony from world-class psychologists brought in by the FBI, and the boys' videos and journals, he delivers the first comprehensive account of the tragic Columbine school shooting. A riveting tale of murder, redemption, police cover-up, and a town torn apart—the haunting cautionary tale for our age. COLUMBINE-Dave Cullen 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 True Crime Story and The Birth of Forensic Science. Starr eloquently juxtaposes the crimes of French serial killer Joseph Vacher and the achievements of famed criminologist Dr. Alexandre Lacassagne during France's belle époque. From 1894 to 1897, Vacher is thought to have raped, killed, and mutilated at least 25 people, though he would confess to only 11 murders. Lacassagne, who headed the department of legal medicine at the university in Lyon, was a pioneer in crime scene analysis, body decomposition, and early profiling, and investigated suspicious deaths, all in an era when rural autopsies were often performed on the victim's dinner table. Lacassagne's contributions to the burgeoning field of forensic science, as well as the persistence of investigating magistrate Émile Fourquet, who connected crimes while crisscrossing the French countryside, eventually brought Vacher to justice. Vacher claimed insanity, which then (as now) was a vexed legal issue. Lacassagne proved the "systematic nature" of the crimes. Starr, codirector of Boston University's Center for Science and Medical Journalism, creates tension worthy of a thriller; in Lacassagne, he portrays a man determined to understand the "how" behind some of humanity's most depraved and perhaps take us one step closer to the "why." THE KILLING OF LITTLE SHEPHERDS-A True Crime Story and The Birth of Forensic Science-Douglas Starr. www.douglasstarr.com 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

The Last Six Minutes is the true account of the random and violent murder of 16 year-old Matthew Martins, and his family's journey through the Canadian Criminal Justice System. On July 2, 2005 Matthew Martins, while waiting near a Sky Train Station for a friend was approached by a woman named Katherine Quinn. Quinn wanted Matthew's crucifix and jumped him trying to get it from him. In the scuffle she was scratched by something and began screaming to her friends and her boyfriend Forslund, that she had been stabbed by Matthew. He ran but was chased and they cornered him at the bottom of the escalators, robbing and then beating and stomping him to death. Forslund had even slit Matthew's throat. Quinn and Forslund were arrested, charged and sentenced for second-degree murder. Now the family faced the killer's appeals and the threat of another trial. As a result of the family's nightmarish ordeal Matthew's mother Sandra founded F.A.C.T. families Against Crime and Trauma working tirelessly to help others who have lost a loved one to a violent crime. She has witnessed first hand the imbalance in the Canadian Justice System, and believes it is time to see the rights of victims supersede those of the offenders. THE LAST SIX MINUTES-Sandra Martins-Toner 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 this account of the trial of controversial death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, O'Connor, editor and publisher of crimemagazine.com, clearly lays out his case that Abu-Jamal should receive at least a new trial, if not complete exoneration. O'Connor asserts that Abu-Jamal was framed for the 1981 murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner because of a vendetta by Philadelphia mayor Frank Rizzo and the police due to Abu-Jamal's defense, as a journalist, of the cultish countercultural group MOVE. Relying heavily on court transcripts and prior books on the case, O'Connor shows what he sees as the judge's bias, troubled relations between Abu-Jamal and his defense lawyer and dubious statements by various witnesses. Abu-Jamal was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death; later overturned, the sentence could still be reinstated pending a decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Now in the wake of Faulkner's widow's recent book alleging Abu-Jamal's guilt, it has made it more difficult to be swayed entirely by O'Connor's arguments, but he makes a strong case that the investigation into Faulkner's murder deserves another look. THE FRAMING OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL-J. Patrick O'Conner 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 21, 2002, twenty-three-year-old Raleigh, North Carolina resident Stephanie Bennett was found murdered in her apartment. Despite ample DNA evidence at the scene, investigators could find no matches in their criminal databases.Two years into the investigation, Detective Ken Copeland-known as "the garbage man" for leaving no stone unturned in his search for evidence-and his partner, Jackie Taylor, joined the case. After culling through the entire file with fresh eyes and re-interviewing witnesses, they re-released a description of a suspect neighbors had seen nearby, a man who'd once lived just next door to the murder scene. But the suspect refused to hand over a DNA sample, wiping down anything he touched, and even planting decoy samples. This is the gripping story of how a team of aggressive detectives doggedly tracked down a killer (under suspicion for a killing spree that investigators believe might have spanned years and crossed state lines)and brought closure to an innocent young woman's grieving family. EVIL NEXT DOOR-THE UNTOLD STORY OF A KILLER UNDONE BY DNA-AMANDA LAMB 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

It's Christmas time and the perfect opportunity to recap the first year almost of True Murder and great interviews with great authors discussing their fine books. I'll be speaking about a few things of interest, the latest update on the Sidney Teerhuis appeal and the very best books and interviews I've had the pleasure to do. A big thank you for all the listeners-over 75,000 in the last 3 months alone. I'll open the lines for anyone to call in and comment-and help you usher in the holidays with some recommendations for books you really should check out and read. And-stay tuned for news of exciting new authors and their books for the new year. Thanks for listening! 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

The affluent suburb of Cheshire, Connecticut, seemed like the perfect place for Dr. William Petit and his wife Jennifer-Hawke-Petit to raise their two lovely daughters...Until July 23, 2007, when according to police, two ex-cons invaded the Petit home hoping to embark on a routine robbery-one that would ultimately prove deadly.What unfolded at 300 Sorghum Mill Drive was a tragic and horrifying sequence of events that shocked a community and made headlines across the nation. Before the morning was over, Mrs. Hawke Petit and one of her daughters would be sexually assaulted, the entire house would go up in flames, and only Dr. Petit-his head bloodied, his legs bound-would manage to escape with his life. With the help of neighbors and local police, the two suspects were soon captured. Now Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes await trial for murder. IN THE NIDDLE OF THE NIGHT-Brian McDonald 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 1990, a young woman was strangled on a jogging path near the home of Pat Brown and her family. Brown suspected the young man who was renting a room in her house and quickly uncovered strong evidence that pointed to him-but the police dismissed her as merely a housewife with an overactive imagination. It would be six years before her former boarder would be brought in for questioning but the night Brown took action to solve the murder was the beginning of her life's work. Pat Brown is now of the nation's few female criminal profilers-a sleuth who assists police departments and victim's families by analyzing both physical and behavioral evidence to make the most scientific determination possible about who committed a crime. Brown has analyzed many dozens of seemingly hopeless cases and brought new investigative avenues to light. In THE PROFILER, Brown opens up her case files to take listeners behind the scenes of bizarre sex crimes, domestic murders, and mysterious deaths, going face-to-face with killers, rapists, and brutalized victims. A rare, first-person account of the real world of police and profilers as they investigate crimes-the good and bad, the cover-ups and the successes. THE PROFILER-MY LIFE HUNTING SERIAL KILLERS AND PSYCHOPATHS-PAT BROWN 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

When the urge took hold, serial killer Larry Bright brought women back to his home. After raping and murdering his victims, he brutally disposed of their bodies. Sometimes he built a white-hot fire and burned them in his backyard. Other times he dumped them along nearby roads and fields. For years, Bright had trolled the roads and back streets of Illinois for the most helpless, desperate women he could find. Then one woman escaped, and suddenly police were looking for bodies everywhere-trying to find out how many women Bright had really killed and what he'd done with their remains. Step by step, an all-out investigation would shock hardened detectives. From interviews with women who survived their encounters with him to the forensic search for bone fragments and pieces of burned, buried flesh, the case against Larry Bright finally closed like a vise-on the man who turned his victims into ashes. BONE CRUSHER-Linda Rosencrance 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