Solved Murders - True Crime Stories - 9 Hours of Horror Legends and Urban Myths

Episode Date: December 26, 2025

#horrorstories #reddithorrorstories #ScaryStories #nosleep #paranormal #creepy #urbanlegends #mythicalhorror #darkfolklore #nightmares "9 Hours of Horror Legends and Urban Myths" takes you on a spine-...chilling journey through the darkest corners of human imagination. Each hour reveals a new terror — from cursed towns and haunted highways to vengeful spirits born from whispers and folklore. Blending reality with superstition, this story explores the fear that lives in every myth… and the horror that might just be true. horrorstories, reddithorrorstories, scarystories, horrorstory, creepypasta, horrortales, urbanlegends, horrorlegends, folklore, myths, hauntedplaces, paranormalstories, creepyencounters, superstition, darkhistory, ghoststories, mystery, fear, hauntingtales, nightmarefuel

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Let me take you back to a cold December morning in 1996. Picture it, Christmas just passed, fairy light still twinkling, kids playing with new toys, and the world soaking in that fuzzy holiday afterglow. But for one family in Boulder, Colorado, that morning shattered any sense of peace or joy. This wasn't just another crime, this was a heart-wrenching, confusing, and downright bizarre tragedy that turned into one of America's most disturbing cold cases. We're talking about John Meney Ramsey, the little girl with the pageant smile who became an icon for all the wrong reasons. John Bonnet Patricia Ramsey was born on August 6, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Starting point is 00:00:43 She was the second child of John and Patsy Ramsey, and by all accounts, the family was living the American dream. Big house, money in the bank, vacations, parties, you name it. John was a successful businessman in the tech industry, the seat. of a company called Access Graphics. Patsy, on the other hand, was a former beauty queen. She had that southern charm and knew all about the world of Tairas, glitter, and pageantry. So naturally, when John Bonnet came along, a cute, bubbly little girl with golden curls and a sparkling personality, Patsy saw a star in the making.
Starting point is 00:01:23 From a young age, John Bonnet was pulled into the pageant scene. Dressed in elaborate costumes, full makeup, and dazzling smiles, she started collecting titles like Little Miss Colorado and National Tiny Miss Beauty. Photos and videos of her performing in competitions painted the picture of a child who was not only beautiful but born to be on stage. But the glitz and glamour weren't just for show, they also sparked a heated debate across the country. Was this a celebration of talent or something more problematic? And then came that fateful morning. December 26, 1996. Patsy Ramsey got up early to start the day, maybe still humming a Christmas tune.
Starting point is 00:02:06 But as she walked down the stairs of their massive home, she spotted something strange. There, on one of the steps, was a handwritten ransom note, three pages long, to be exact. The note demanded $118,000 for the return of John Bonae. It warned them not to call the police or the child would be killed. But instead of following those instructions, Patsy panicked and dialed 911 at 5.52 a.m. And that's when the chaos started. Cops arrived quickly, but they weren't the only ones. Friends, neighbors, and even members of the church poured into the house. People wandered around, touched things, and basically stomped all over what should have been a sealed-off crime scene.
Starting point is 00:02:52 It was like a neighborhood open house rather than a potential murder investigation. No one knew where John Bonnet was. Hours passed, and the tension was unbearable. Then, around 1 p.m., John Bonnet's father, John Ramsey, made a grim discovery. He had been searching the house, supposedly on the advice of the police, when he found her body in the basement, in a little room often referred to as the wine cellar. John Bonnet was wrapped in a white blanket. Her mouth had been covered with duct tape, her wrists bound, and there was a great.
Starting point is 00:03:26 wrote fashioned out of a paintbrush and cord still around her neck. There was a severe skull fracture too, suggesting she had been hit hard, really hard. Try to imagine that. Finding your own daughter like that. It's beyond horrifying. But even more disturbing were the questions that immediately started to swirl. First, let's talk about that ransom note. It wasn't your typical two-line, we have your kid, pay-up, deal. It was three. Three pages long, handwritten, and oddly theatrical. Some parts even seemed lifted from action movies. It asked for a very specific amount, $118,000.
Starting point is 00:04:09 Now here's the kicker, John Ramsey had just received a bonus for that exact amount. So either this kidnapper did their homework or, someone close to the family wrote it. Creepier still, investigators believe the note had been written on paper from inside the Ramsey home. Then there's the matter of the garote. It was made from materials found inside the house, a paintbrush from Patsy's art supplies and some cord. Again, what kind of kidnapper brings a not a weapon? The window in the basement had been broken, but no one could confirm if it was from that night or had been damaged earlier. There were no footprints in the snow outside.
Starting point is 00:04:50 No forced entry. No fingerprints that matched anyone outside the household. So, of course, suspicion started circling and fast. The media went wild. This wasn't just a murder, it was the murder of a child beauty queen. Images of John Bonnet in frilly dresses and perfect makeup flashed across every TV screen and newspaper. People were outraged.
Starting point is 00:05:17 People were heartbroken. And people wanted answers. Naturally, the family became the prime suspects. The inconsistencies in their statements, the seemingly staged crime scene, the ransom note, it all pointed inward. Some thought Patsy, maybe in a moment of rage, had struck her daughter. Others believed Burke Ramsey, John Bonaise's nine-year-old brother, might have done something accidentally and the parents covered it up. But no charges were filed against any of them. The case was a mess from the get-go.
Starting point is 00:05:51 Let's break down the main theories. One, the intruder theory, some believe an unknown person sneaked into the house, maybe through the basement window, and committed the crime. Supporters of this theory point to unidentified male DNA found in jombinace underwear. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Sfreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. but the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes.
Starting point is 00:06:31 No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you.
Starting point is 00:06:52 you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Epics argue that the complexity of the crime, writing a ransom note inside the house, staying long enough to make a garote, and then murdering the child, seems too risky. Plus, why demand ransom if you're going to kill the victim anyway? Two, the family theory, this is the most widely discussed. From the weird note to the use of household items, everything screamed, inside job.
Starting point is 00:07:33 Patsy was the one who found the note, and handwriting analysis was inconclusive. That $118,000 figure. A little too on the nose. Then there were behavioral red flags. Neither parents said. seemed entirely forthcoming during interviews, and both lawyered up quickly. Patsy was emotional on camera but evasive under questioning. John seemed composed, almost detached.
Starting point is 00:08:00 Three, the accident theory. This one suggests that John Meney may have had an accidental fall or injury, maybe during roughhousing or some sort of argument. The family, fearing the consequences, might have staged the entire scene to make it look like an abduction gone wrong. The Garote, the note, even the body being found hours later, it could all be part of an elaborate cover-up. But again, there's no hard proof. As years passed, the case grew colder.
Starting point is 00:08:30 DNA testing was done and redone. In 2008, prosecutors officially cleared the Ramsey family based on new DNA evidence. But even that didn't fully convince the public. People just couldn't let it go. And can you blame them? The mystery of John Bonnet became a media circus. TV specials, podcasts, YouTube deep dives, Reddit threads, it's endless. There were even false confessions.
Starting point is 00:09:00 One guy, John Mark Carr, claimed in 2006 that he had killed John Bonnet. He was in Thailand at the time and had a disturbing obsession with the case. But his DNA didn't match, and he was ruled out. Another man, Gary Oliva, a known pedophile, also confessed, but again, DNA evidence said otherwise. In 2024, Netflix dropped a docuceries titled Who Killed John Bonae Ramsey. And suddenly the world was paying attention again. John Ramsey gave interviews, expressing hope that with better technology, the real killer could finally be identified. Patsy, who sadly passed away from cancer in 2006, had always maintained her in a
Starting point is 00:09:44 and suffered under the weight of public judgment. Imagine living with the loss of your child while being accused of her murder. It's a nightmare within a nightmare. Nearly three decades later, we're still asking the same questions. Who killed John Bonae Ramsey? Why? And how did they get away with it? Honestly, the whole thing feels like a case study in what not to do during a homicide investigation.
Starting point is 00:10:10 From contaminating the scene to mishandling evidence to letting public opinion shape the narrative, it's a disaster. It makes you wonder how many similar cases have been botched because of human error, ego, or sheer incompetence. But what makes this story stick in our minds isn't just the unanswered questions. It's John Bonnet herself. The image of her in those pageants, smiling with all the confidence of a born performer, is burned into collective memory. She represents both innocence and the strange way society views beauty, fame, and tragedy. In the end, all were left with our theories, emotions, and a case that refuses to fade away. Some folks are convinced the parents did it.
Starting point is 00:10:56 Others believe there was a break-in. A few are holding out hope that one day, technology will catch up and the truth will finally be known. Until then, the name John Bonnet Ramsey will always haunt the world of true crime. crime. Justice delayed is justice denied, they say. But may- Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That
Starting point is 00:11:34 means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreaker's powerful
Starting point is 00:12:02 tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid. while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Maybe, just maybe, it's not too late. The end, the story of Antonia's disappearance and tragic end is a complex one, filled with contradictions, mysterious elements, and an unresolved conclusion. It all begins when a psychic insists that the missing girl, Antonia, is still alive, which leads Manuel to seek out Jorge Colomar, an investigator, to take on the case. Jorge agrees to help for free, and soon, the Torres family hands over all the information
Starting point is 00:12:42 they have about Antonia's disappearance. They reveal the details of how Antonia vanished, the last person who saw her, and mentioned the possibility that she was pregnant at the time. They also give Jorge two letters that Antonia's parents had sent them, which seemed to shed some light on the situation. Armed with these new details, Jorge begins his investigation. The first stop is Antonia's weekday residence at her best friend Olga's house. While there, Jorge uncovers some valuable information, including a recurring dream that Olga's
Starting point is 00:13:11 mother had, which seemed to have a connection to Antonia's disappearance. He also learns that Olga had accompanied Antonia to the gynecologist, where they confirmed that Antonia was pregnant. However, there's more to the story. Jorge discovers that, just days before her disappearance, Antonia went to visit Olga alone. She was supposed to meet Fernando, but he didn't show up. Despite waiting for hours, Fernando didn't contact her, leaving her. Antonio anxious and paranoid. She feared that her in-laws had convinced Fernando to leave her,
Starting point is 00:13:42 possibly to avoid becoming a father or marrying her. As her panic grew, Antonia asked Olga to take a taxi with her to a place called La Cueva, a fisherman's house near the sea where she and Fernando had often gone for privacy. The place was described as a wooden shack with two doors, which matched the details from Olga's mother's dream. However, the taxi broke down on the and Olga stayed behind to wait for a mechanic, leaving Antonia to go on ahead. When she reached the house, there was no sign of Fernando. Antonia searched the area but found nothing, which led her and Olga to go to the police and file a report, accusing Fernando of statutory rape, as Antonia was still a minor.
Starting point is 00:14:21 At the time, the legal age of adulthood was 21, and Antonio was younger, which made their relationship illegal in the eyes of the law. Two days later, Fernando reappears. He apologizes, claiming he had been working and assures Antonia that everything was fine. He convinces her to withdraw the complaint, and the two of them go together to the police station to retract the accusation. Afterward, they climb into Fernando's car, a 600, and vanish without a trace. Jorge continues his investigation by visiting Fernando's parents, Rosario and Domingo.
Starting point is 00:14:53 They initially appear calm and ordinary, but when the subject of Antonia comes up, Rosario becomes visibly agitated. She accuses Antonia of being a bad influence on her son, calling her a liar who deceived Fernando. This is when the first contradiction in the case emerges. At this point, Rosario reveals that, while they were traveling through Spain, a neighbor tipped her off that Fernando's car had been spotted in Zaragoza. She became furious and went searching for him. After asking around, she eventually finds the car, but only Antonia is inside. She confronts Antonia, and an argument ensues. Shortly afterward, Fernando shows up and intervenes, assuring everyone that everything is fine.
Starting point is 00:15:35 He tells his mother to calm down, and she demands that he return all the money he has taken. Fernando agrees and hands over part of the stolen money to his mother. After this, Rosario goes back home, and Fernando breaks up with Antonia two days later. According to him, Antonia had stolen all the money and he never saw her again. Jorge continues to dig deeper into Fernando's background, now focusing on him. Fernando's life as an adult. He discovers that Fernando is now married, with a six-year-old child, and working as a representative for a laboratory. When questioned about Antonia's disappearance, Fernando gives a similar story, that they had argued, he didn't want to
Starting point is 00:16:13 become a father or get married, and that Antonia had stolen his money and left. But when asked about Antonia's pregnancy, Fernando denies that she was ever pregnant. This denial raises further doubts. Finally, on August 6, 1986, Jorge presents a complete report to the authorities, alongside Manuel Torres, urging them to take the case seriously. The police, spurred by the new evidence, begin their own investigation, something they should have done much earlier. They check if Antonia had renewed her ID or passport, or if she had been to a hospital, perhaps to give birth, but shockingly, there is no record of any such activity. There is no trace of Antonia anywhere.
Starting point is 00:16:53 This leads the police to focus on Fernando Olmos, and on December 1, 1986, they decide to interrogate him once more. This time, Fernando is visibly nervous and reluctant to speak, but eventually, he cracks. He confesses that neither he nor Antonio wanted to have the child, so they traveled to Zaragoza to find a woman who performed abortions. Fernando stayed in a square while Antonia entered the woman's house, had the abortion, and came out with medication. On their way back, Antonia began bleeding heavily and was in great distress. She asked to be taken to her parents' house, but along the way, she started to lose consciousness.
Starting point is 00:17:31 Fernando stopped the car near their usual spot, the fisherman's house, and carried Antonia into the shack. He claimed that Antonia died there, and in a panic, he set fire to everything, her belongings, the shack, everything. He then left, never to return. This version of events doesn't add up for several reasons. First, medical experts have stated that it's unlikely for someone to miscarry at five months of pregnancy in such a way. Second, if Antonia had indeed died from blood loss, it seems strange that Fernando would burn her body in all of her belongings.
Starting point is 00:18:04 The most troubling thing, however, is that the shack Fernando describes... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes.
Starting point is 00:18:30 No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you.
Starting point is 00:18:51 Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. It was not the one the police found. It had been renovated after being burned down. Fernando's version of events begins to unravel,
Starting point is 00:19:15 and the investigation takes a darker turn. The authorities search the dump where the remains of the shack were supposedly disposed of and find a violet scarf and a makeup case, items that belong to Antonia. Most chillingly, they also find human bones, including vertebrae that match Antonia's known spine deformities. The investigation continues, and it is revealed that Fernando had bought a point-22 caliber rifle in February 1978, but shortly after Antonia's disappearance, he sold it. The authorities trace the weapon to its current owner and begin to suspect that this gun was used to kill Antonia. Further investigation uncovers more inconsistencies, including the discovery that Fernando had sold his car, the 600, to a friend.
Starting point is 00:19:57 Upon inspecting the car, it is found that the upholstery had been replaced, and there were no traces of blood anywhere, especially not in the passenger seat where Antonia supposedly bled out. On December 17, Fernando is once again interrogated, and this time, his story changes. He admits that while he didn't want to become a father or Mary Antonia, the actual cause of death was a confrontation. He claims that Antonia wanted to keep the child, but he didn't agree. In a heated argument, she turned her back on him, and in a fit of rage, he shot her in the head at close range. Then, he burned her body in her belongings to cover his tracks.
Starting point is 00:20:33 As the trial begins on April 4, 1989, it attracts considerable public attention. The case has everything, a young, pregnant girl out of wedlock, a seemingly well-respected suspect, and a web of lies and contradictions. Throughout the trial, new, strange details emerge, including letters that Fernando's parents allegedly sent to the Torres family, which they deny writing. However, an expert testified that the letters were indeed written by Domingo and Rosario. During the trial, Fernando again changes his story, now claiming that Antonia's death was a suicide Act. According to him, both he and Antonia wanted to have children and get married, but
Starting point is 00:21:11 her parents opposed their relationship. So, they decided to take their own lives. He says they took the gun, and while Antonio was supposed to be the first to die, she couldn't go through with it. Fernando shot her instead, then set fire to everything to cover up the evidence. The trial lasts several days, and in the end, Fernando is sentenced to 20 years in prison in order to pay 4 million pacedas in damages. Psychiatric experts testify that Fernando had mental health issues, and the case is closed. He serves his sentence, is released, and moves to Zaragoza, where he resumes his life. However, many people remain dissatisfied with the verdict.
Starting point is 00:21:50 Some believe that Fernando's prison sentence was too light, and others think that he wasn't the only person responsible for Antonia's death. Upon further reflection, one can notice several holes in the story. For one, Fernando's mother clearly had a strong dislike for Antonia, and even after her disappearance, she continued to express hatred for her. Also, the fact that the body was burned, along with all of Antonia's belongings, suggests a level of preparation and intent. The police investigation also discovered that, in prison, Fernando wrote letters claiming
Starting point is 00:22:21 his innocence and suggesting that other, more influential people were involved. He referred to those people as, the ones who gave him life, which many believe was a reference to his parents. Antonia's brother even speculates that there may have been a pact, where it was actually Fernando's mother who killed Antonia, and Fernando took the fall to protect her. So, who is truly responsible for Antonia's death? Many theories persist, and while the case may have closed legally, the mystery surrounding it remains unsolved for many. We begin. Built in 1920 in the heart of Los Angeles, specifically at 640, Main Street, the Cecil Hotel has witnessed the evolution of the city in every aspect, multiple suicides, homicides, the stay of serial killers within its walls,
Starting point is 00:23:06 ghostly apparitions, all of this has cemented the reputation of this place as one of the most haunted in the world. The Cecil began as a cozy and very pleasant place. With a total of 700 rooms at its inception, its long hallways and majestic decor invited businessmen to stay for long periods. Its prices were something not everyone could afford. However, Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcast. hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners
Starting point is 00:24:04 can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro
Starting point is 00:24:22 and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-K-E-R.com. This would change very quickly. With the arrival of new hotels in the area, the Cecil had to lower its prices to compete somehow with its rivals. Because of this, it basically turned into a large hostel instead of a hotel, and from the 1929 crash onward, the Cecil would fill with undesirable people, people from low social status and with very bad intentions. The first connection between the Cecil Hotel and American Crime History came on January 15, 1947. That day, the sky over Los Angeles was overcast. Everything pointed to it being a rainy and very cold day. A housewife named Betty Berzinger left her home on Norton Avenue accompanied by her three-year-old daughter. They were heading to a shoe store.
Starting point is 00:25:17 While walking, they reached an abandoned lot completely overgrown with weeds. It was a location in the Crenshaw district, a place that had once been full of shops and life but had been left desolate because of the 1920s. At one point, the little girl tugged on her mother's shirt and pointed toward a spot in the lot. The child said there was a broken mannequin there and wanted to go see what it looked like. Betty didn't think much of it and decided to approach with her daughter. It appeared to be the body of a pale mannequin split in half. But as seconds passed, as minutes went by, she realized that it was no dull.
Starting point is 00:25:54 It was the corpse of a woman who had been tortured and left there as if she were just a pile of dead flesh. Quickly realizing this, she covered her daughter's eyes and fled the place, fled far away. And when she felt safe, she called the police. It was clearly the body of a young woman, severed at the waist. Her legs were positioned to one side in a very strange way, and her arms were posed as if she had been tied with ropes. Indeed, on her wrists and ankles, there were signs of this. Her face was smashed, clearly beaten with a baseball bat. And her body showed burn marks, as if her attacker had extinguished cigarette butts on her skin. But one of the most shocking things to the specialists was her smile.
Starting point is 00:26:41 Her killer had carved the so-called Glasgow smile, or the smile of the clown. Her breasts had been slashed. She had mutilations all over her body, cuts, blows, all kinds of torture marks. But that was not all. Agents working on the case from the beginning, Frank Perkins and Will Fitzgerald demonstrated that the body had been completely drained of blood, and that after being severed at the waist by someone who clearly knew what they were doing. Someone with surgical precision. The autopsy revealed that the young woman had been tortured for 72 hours before dying. After her death, the body was washed, and her hair died with tar. Additionally, the killer
Starting point is 00:27:23 gave her a manicure, as if he truly wanted to keep seeing her beauty even in death. On her left thigh, a triangular piece of flesh was missing, supposedly a spot where the woman had a tattoo. Where was this piece of her found? Inside her vagina. Inside her body. In her stomach, they found human feces, indicating that the young woman had been forced to eat excrement while being tortured. What actually killed her were not the burns, but a powerful blow to the head. head that caused an internal hemorrhage. There are many more details about the girl's death, but if I continue, I'll probably keep you up at night. So let's just say the person who tortured and killed her knew exactly how to erase their tracks, because they didn't
Starting point is 00:28:08 leave a single trace of themselves in their work of art. The images of the corpse were so atrocious and brutal that the publication of photographs from the case was forbidden. The priority of the detectives in charge of the case, Harry Hansen and Finis Brown, was to identify the victim. They believed that by identifying her, they might identify her killer. The FBI first checked her fingerprints. This was very difficult because her fingers were wrinkled. Still, the fingerprint experts managed to match them, and finally, they identified her. The victim was named Elizabeth Short, 22 years old, dark hair, blue eyes, and considerable height. Her fingerprints had been taken twice, once when she worked at a canteen in Camp Cook during World War II,
Starting point is 00:28:56 and the second time after she was arrested for being drunk on the street as a minor. The close relationship between police and the press in the 1940s led to a leak within hours. Sensationalist reporters, especially from the Los Angeles Examiner, who had very unethical ways of getting information, obtained the phone number of Phoebe Short, the victim's mother, who lived in Massachusetts. To grab her attention... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt.
Starting point is 00:29:27 Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career.
Starting point is 00:29:52 Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com.
Starting point is 00:30:17 That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. And extract information, they lied and told her that her beautiful daughter had won a beauty contest. From there, they asked many questions, and just as they were about to finish the conversation, they told her that Elizabeth had been brutally murdered and discarded like common trash. Soon, newspapers around the world began publishing sensationalist news about the victim. They said shocking, twisted things, that she was a prostitute, that she was believed, things that made no sense. But in doing so, they gained more readers and put the murder on the front page. They soon labeled her a drunk, a lesbian, they called her many things. But who really
Starting point is 00:31:01 was Elizabeth short? Was she really all those things people said about her, or was she something more? Born into a well-off family in Hyde Park, Massachusetts, she was the third of five sisters. Her father owned a miniature golf course. Things were going well until the 1929 crash, which bankrupted the family business. Even so, they had each other, and that made them stronger. But one day, her father faked his suicide. One random morning, he got in his car, parked it on a bridge, left the doors open, and fled to California without telling anyone.
Starting point is 00:31:39 While his wife and daughters mourned his loss, he had a new life thousand. of miles away. Phoebe and her five daughters went through real hardships, but he didn't seem to care. Phoebe did everything she could to keep her daughters afloat, to give them bread each day. In the midst of that hell, Betty, as she was affectionately called by her family, began going to the movies with her sisters. She slowly fell in love with the world of Hollywood. She began to dream of becoming an actress, a famous actress showered with rose petals after a
Starting point is 00:32:12 performance. She admired the musicals of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. That's when she decided she would be famous, that she would be a Hollywood actress. Ten years after vanishing, her father reappeared, asking everyone for forgiveness. But no one wanted to forgive him, not her sisters, not even her mother. And she herself didn't want to, until she learned that he lived in Los Angeles. That's why she forgave him. In her father, she said, saw the opportunity of a lifetime to become a star. Betty left her life behind and set off on a journey to Hollywood, to the streets of Los Angeles, and to her future as a great actress.
Starting point is 00:32:54 But once there, living with her father, she realized he only wanted her as a maid. He didn't even consider her his daughter. She decided that the life she dreamed of would begin once she got away from him. So she left home and started making her way on her own. She began a nomadic life, living off money from men, wealthy men she seduced with her innate beauty so they would buy her things and take her to movie premieres. Elizabeth suffered from gonadal dysgenesis, a condition that prevented her from having full sexual relations. But that didn't stop her from continuing that lifestyle. She even had a serious boyfriend, Matt Gordon, whom she was supposedly going to marry.
Starting point is 00:33:36 But that never happened, as he died in a plane crash in the first. Philippines at the end of World War II. This shattered her. It affected her so deeply that she began slipping into the terrible world of nightlife, of drugs, alcohol, loneliness, and bad company. Elizabeth became the image of the Cecil Hotel, serving drinks at its bar, accompanying men to tables. There, she began interacting with dangerous people. Elizabeth entered a vicious circle that eventually dragged her into the world of B-grade erotic cinema, surrounding her with more and more dangerous company. Everyone seemed to know something about Elizabeth Short.
Starting point is 00:34:17 Everyone seemed to have spoken to her at some point, and everyone said the person who killed her could have been anyone. The fact that she hung out with people from all walks of life, people tied to the dark side of Hollywood, led specialists working the case to nickname her, the black Dahlia, a name inspired by a hit movie at the time, the Blue Dahlia. The only difference was that Elizabeth's color. in life was always black. She always dressed in black, and her long curly hair was always dyed that color. 250 officers conducted door-to-door interviews, first around the lot where the body was
Starting point is 00:34:52 found. But obviously, no one knew anything. Multiple leads, confessions, and false evidence emerged. Some people confessed to the crime just to get attention, just to have a minute of fame. Betty Berzinger said that when she found the body, she saw a car speed away in the distance, but she didn't catch the license plate or get a clear look at the driver. So her statement wasn't taken into account. The last person to see Elizabeth Short Alive was the receptionist at the Biltmore Hotel on the night of January 10th, 1947. He saw her leave at exactly 10. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast.
Starting point is 00:35:31 I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can,
Starting point is 00:36:04 pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. 10 p.m. on Olive Street, dressed as she usually did, in a sweater and long black pants. The last person to see her alive was a 25-year-old salesman, Robert Red Manley, who had picked her up in San Diego and later dropped her off in the lobby of the hotel. After investigations, Manley was interrogated and years later subjected to a polygraph, which he passed successfully. He supposedly wasn't the killer.
Starting point is 00:36:55 However, years later, specifically in 1954, he was given another test, the sodium pentothal test, commonly known as the Truth Serum. Again, he was cleared of all charges, something many considered a real insult. He died in 1986, still accused by many of being the Black Dahlia's killer. There are a great number of completely surreal anecdotes surrounding this case. One, for example, involves two police officers accused of the murder simply because they discussed the case at a restaurant. A waiter called the police and reported them. Hundreds of people were accused, interrogated,
Starting point is 00:37:34 and imprisoned for certain periods as suspects in the Black Dahlia case, 60 of the men, 40 women. Everyone seemed to be a suspect, and everyone seemed eager to confess to a crime they hadn't committed. But truly, one of the most chilling anecdotes of this case is that someone was interested in sending letters to the police, letters in which they admitted to being her killer, letters that included gruesome details only the murderer could know about Elizabeth Short's death.
Starting point is 00:38:01 In those letters, the person expressed rage and indigestion, nation at not being caught. They mocked justice, mocked investigators, mocked the detectives, saying they had already been interrogated and not even considered a suspect. The killer sent photographs of the corpse, photos of Elizabeth Short when she was alive, spoke about her, told her story, gave facts only the killer could know. But worst of all, they were never caught. Alongside Robert read Manly. To be continued. This story starts with a manly. A manly named Unhell Luis Jimenez Tori, 45 years old, who in 2011 was serving as a member of Spain's Guardia Civil, stationed at the Principate de Vergara detachment. Angel's job mainly revolved
Starting point is 00:38:45 around special transports, meaning he was responsible for transferring prisoners from one location to another, picking them up at Madrid's prisons and taking them to judicial facilities. He would also do the same route in reverse. As for his personal life, family, and friends, not much is known. However, several sources suggest that I'm Unhell never spoke to anyone about his sexual orientation, although everyone seemed to know he was gay. It wasn't something that seemed to be a big deal, in fact, people treated him just like anyone else, which was how it should have been. Nevertheless, it appears that Unhell himself struggled with his identity. He didn't want to discuss it, and we don't know why. Whether
Starting point is 00:39:23 people knew for sure or just suspected is unclear, but one thing that seemed certain was that Angel's personality was perceived in different ways. Some described him as a hard worker and respectful, while others described him as not such a great colleague. For five years, Unhell had been in a relationship with a much younger man, Marcos Hernandez, who was 28 years old. Marcos was a skilled swimmer and a certified lifeguard who worked at the holiday gym at 80 Plaza Republica Dominicana in San Martine. People who knew them said Marcos was a cheerful and friendly person, who took great care of his physique and was always polite and attentive. He would even tell jokes to those around him. According to some of the Jim's clients, he would often meet up with them at a nearby cafe.
Starting point is 00:40:07 Their relationship was not widely public, but they eventually moved in together. They seemed very happy, although Unhell never mentioned anything about it at work, not even a word. Again, we don't know the reason for this, but it seems that the relationship, while wonderful, was not without its challenges. Some sources claim that Marcos wanted to get married, but Unhell was not on the same page. This brought us to two versions of the story. The first version comes from Marcos' friends and family, who say that he was deeply in love with Un Hell but felt that Un Hell was not at the same point in life. This caused them to grow apart. The second version is discussed on various websites, including La Rezaan.es, where some believe that Angel's property holdings might have played a role in Marcos' affection for him, although we will never know if this is true.
Starting point is 00:40:54 Regardless, after five years, the couple broke up and went their separate ways. Marco seemed to move on quickly, but Unhell struggled with the breakup. They remained on good terms as friends. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion.
Starting point is 00:41:24 That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network,
Starting point is 00:41:52 Spreaker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. And since Un-Hell worked near the gym, he would often go there to see Marcos. Clients noticed that they still seem to get along well, but things changed when Un-Hell discovered that Marcos had moved on and started seeing someone else, who just so happened to be a member of the same gym. This revelation marked the beginning of the real trouble.
Starting point is 00:42:22 Un-Hell began to complain about money that they had spent together during their relationship. even accusing Marcos of owing him money for the apartment they had shared. He demanded that Marcos pay his part. His requests grew more and more insistent, and soon they became demands, accompanied by aggressive language. Despite the tension, Marcos was in a good place in his life. He was excited about his new boyfriend, and they were happy together. Marcos' new partner had a different work schedule, he worked as a nightclub bouncer at night, while Marcos worked as a lifeguard during the day.
Starting point is 00:42:53 As a result, they would try to fit in time. together when they could. Markos would finish work at 4 p.m., and then he would meet his boyfriend at the gym, where they would work out and enjoy each other's company. However, these happy moments did not go unnoticed by Un-Hell. The jealousy began to intensify, and their arguments escalated, leading to phone threats. Eventually, Marcos had to threaten Un-Hell back, warning him that if he continued harassing him, he would tell the entire police station about Angel sexuality. As you can imagine, the story grew darker as time passed. This tension reached its peak on the night of Monday, July 25, 2011.
Starting point is 00:43:32 Unhell made a phone call to Marcos, which sent shivers down his spine. According to reports, Unhell initiated the call, intending only to argue and not to resolve anything. The conversation became more and more heated, and Unhell told Marcos that he intended to take his own life. These words were revealed to us later when Marcos spoke to a friend about the call, expressing confusion about Angel's rage. The following day, Tuesday, July 26, both men went to work as usual.
Starting point is 00:44:00 Marcos worked at the gym, and after finishing his shift at 4 p.m., Unhell went to the police station and, after completing his duties, did something completely different from his usual routine. He packed a bag, concealing two firearms, his official pistol, a small rifle, and a revolver, all registered in his name. Unhell then headed to the holiday gym where he greeted Marcos. There were around 25 to 30 people at the gym at the time. The two men started arguing as soon as they saw each other.
Starting point is 00:44:28 To avoid drawing attention, they moved down to the locker room on the third floor to continue their conversation, but it didn't stay quiet for long. Witnesses later reported hearing six loud thuds, which sounded like metallic impacts. Some people thought it was construction noise in the locker room, but the reality was much darker. One gym member, named Javier, explained that he initially thought the sounds were related to renovations, but when he went to investigate, he was met with a horrific scene. There was blood everywhere, and two men were lying on the floor, badly injured. He immediately called for help, and the gym staff quickly alerted the authorities.
Starting point is 00:45:04 Another witness, Antonio, said that when he heard about the incident, he thought it was a joke, but when a trainer told them not to go to the locker room, he realized the gravity of the situation. When the police arrived, they found that Un Hell had shot Marcos multiple times. Some sources suggest that Unhell fired up to ten shots, with one aimed at his head and five more targeting his chest, showing clear intent to kill. Unfortunately, Marcos did not survive the attack. In a shocking twist, Unhell then turned the gun on himself.
Starting point is 00:45:34 He aimed at his own head and pulled the trigger, but miraculously, emergency services managed to stabilize him and rushed him to the Gregorio Maragnan Hospital. Despite their efforts, Unhell passed away on Wednesday, July 27, 2011. Both victims were buried in separate locations, Marcos was laid to rest in the southern cemetery of Madrid, while Unhell was buried in the municipal cemetery of Coleman Avejo. This tragic event left many unanswered questions. What would drive someone to commit such a heinous crime, especially against someone they had loved for years?
Starting point is 00:46:07 And why did Unhell feel the need to resort to such violence? It also raised larger concerns about the safety of public spaces. Should buildings, especially places where people are vulnerable, like gyms or library, implement more security measures, such as metal detectors or checks at entrances? In this case, no one checked what was an angel's bag, and he could have easily carried in weapons, highlighting the need for stricter security at public venues. Now, I turn it over to you. What do you think about this case? Do you believe more security should be implemented in places like gyms, or is the current system sufficient? The story certainly makes us question how safe we
Starting point is 00:46:44 are in everyday locations, and it's an unsettling reminder of how a seemingly normal situation can quickly escalate into something tragic. The story of Fernando and Gemma Jimenez, along with their tragic end, is one full of turmoil, violence, and mystery. Fernando, a man with a history of aggressive and erratic behavior, had been the source of disturbance to many people around him, especially to his wife, Gemma, and those who lived in his neighborhood. From his confrontational attitude to his obsession with weapons, Fernando's life seemed to be a ticking time bomb. His marriage to Gemma, which appeared to be troubled from the beginning, ultimately ended in violence. Before we delve into the chilling details of that fateful night, it's important to understand the dynamics of Fernando's life.
Starting point is 00:47:27 Born into a family with connections to the aristocracy, Fernando was a man of privilege, but this privilege seemed to be both a blessing and a curse. Despite the wealth that came with his lineage, he had a complicated relationship with his family. His inheritance was mostly claimed by the family's... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization.
Starting point is 00:48:00 Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you.
Starting point is 00:48:26 Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Former butler, who also happened to be Fernando's partner. The complicated dynamics in his family suggested deep-rooted issues, some of which might have influenced Fernando's hostile attitude toward them.
Starting point is 00:48:54 Fernando's behavior became more disturbing over time, and the neighbors, who lived close by, often had to tolerate his erratic actions. He was notorious for his unpredictable outbursts, which ranged from verbal insults to physically intimidating people. The fact that he enjoyed firearms, and even practiced shooting at targets in his own home only added to the tension in the neighborhood. He reportedly put up offensive posters and even shot at them for fun, making the area
Starting point is 00:49:18 uncomfortable for anyone living nearby. Though these actions were deeply troubling, Fernando's relationship with his wife, Gemma, seemed to be where the darkest elements of his personality came to light. Their marriage, which had its fair share of problems, only worsened over time. According to various sources, Gemma often found herself caught between trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in protecting herself from Fernando's violent tendencies. There were even instances where Fernando physically assaulted her. In one of the most troubling incidents, Fernando hit his own mother, and when his sister attempted
Starting point is 00:49:51 to intervene, she was also struck. This pattern of violence was something that Gemma had to endure, and though there were attempts to intervene, she seemed to stay in the relationship, perhaps out of fear or a sense of obligation. The tension between them only grew, with Fernando's violent nature becoming more apparent. Despite this, Gemma never filed official complaints against him, which only raised more questions. Many of their neighbors, however, were not as silent. They reported disturbances in the household, from loud arguments to the constant presence of aggression in the air.
Starting point is 00:50:23 The fact that Fernando had an arsenal of unlicensed firearms in his home only made the situation more dangerous. Despite this, there were no formal complaints about his weapons or actions, possibly because the neighbors feared retaliation. In 2015, Fernando made headlines when he appeared on a talk show to denounce the freezing of his bank account. He used this opportunity to attack the Spanish government and accused the wealthy of receiving preferential treatment when it came to paying taxes. Fernando's outbursts, both on television and in his personal life, portrayed a man who was always at odds with the world around him. His bravado and aggressive personality were increasingly difficult for those close to him to tolerate. In 2018, another alarming incident occurred. Fernando was reportedly seen shouting and insulting his wife in a public space.
Starting point is 00:51:11 Despite the altercation, Gemma did not press charges, and their relationship continued in this toxic pattern. This dysfunction reached its breaking point in 2022, when Gemma decided to take a trip to France with their young daughter. The plan was to visit friends and spend some time away from the chaotic environment at home. However, during the trip, Gemma told everyone that she was feeling unwell and decided to return to Madrid early. She left her daughter behind with the friends in France, possibly trying to avoid any conflict that could arise in front of the child. But what followed was the beginning of the end for Gemma. On the night of June 19th, Gemma met up with a friend, Julia, and went back to their home in Madrid. The neighbors, who had grown accustomed to the
Starting point is 00:51:52 constant noise from Fernando's home, reported hearing loud shouting and furniture being moved. But at around 1 a.m., things took a turn for the worse. The neighbors heard three gunshots. Though they had become desensitized to the disturbances in the neighborhood, the sound of the gunshots was something they couldn't ignore. The next morning, one of the neighbors made a horrifying discovery. She saw a woman lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen of the apartment. The police were immediately called, and when they arrived,
Starting point is 00:52:20 they found two bodies in the living room, Fernando and Julia. In the kitchen, Gemma's body was found. It was clear that she had been shot, but what shocked the authorities even more was the discovery of several bags filled with Gemma's belongings. This suggested that she had been planning to leave Fernando for good. The investigation revealed a disturbing scene. Fernando, in his violent rage, had killed both his wife and her friend, Julia, before turning the gun on himself. It appeared that Gemma had been trying to leave him, possibly for good. She had even packed some things to leave, but Fernando wouldn't let her go without a fight.
Starting point is 00:52:57 He shot Gemma in the head and then killed Julia, who was likely caught in the crossfire. Afterward, he ended his own life. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes.
Starting point is 00:53:26 No editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows.
Starting point is 00:53:55 So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. What makes this story even more tragic is the fact that no one seemed to know the full extent of the abuse Gemma had been suffering. She had never spoken out about the violence in her marriage, and her family was unaware of the severity of the situation. The police investigation further uncovered that Fernando had a collection of Nazi memorabilia and unlicensed firearms, which he kept in his living room.
Starting point is 00:54:25 It was clear that Fernando had become obsessed with his possessions, and this obsession, combined with his violent tendencies, created a deadly combination. The aftermath of the tragedy left many questions unanswered. Gemma's daughter was left without both of her parents, and she was sent to live with her maternal grandmother. However, the complications didn't end there. Gemma's mother, who had taken in the girl, was later accused of mistreating the child. The young girl reportedly sent messages to a friend, saying that her grandmother had been abusive toward her. The grandmother was later arrested, but it was unclear what happened to the child after that. This case remains one of those tragic stories where the signs of danger were all too clear,
Starting point is 00:55:04 but the people involved seemed unable or unwilling to intervene in time. Gemma's death was the culmination of years of abuse and violence, and it serves as a painful reminder of the consequences of toxic relationships and unchecked aggression. Fernando's actions, which were once just rumors of eccentric behavior, ultimately led to the loss of multiple lives, leaving a scar that may never heal for the those involved. So, what truly happened in this case? It's clear that Fernando's behavior was deeply problematic from the beginning, but the specific events that led to the murders remain a tragic mystery. We can only speculate on what was going through Gemma's mind in the
Starting point is 00:55:40 final moments of her life, but it's evident that she had reached a breaking point. Whether or not she had truly planned to leave Fernando for good, or whether she had simply been trying to survive, we may never know for sure. What we do know is that this story ended in a way that no one could have foreseen. In the summer of 1986, a woman decided to take a bold step. For years, she had been struggling with the loss of her daughter, Antonia Torres Sanchez. She hadn't heard from Antonia in nearly a decade, and with no explanation, no letters, no communication, she began to lose hope. The girl had simply vanished, leaving behind the trail of unanswered questions. What had happened to her? Where was she? Was she alive? These were the questions that
Starting point is 00:56:22 haunted Manuela Sanchez, Antonia's mother. Manuela's initial thoughts were that perhaps Antonia had simply gotten angry and left, but as the weeks turned into months, and then years, the mystery deepened. There were no signs, no word from Antonia herself, no indication of where she might have gone or why she had disappeared. The silence was deafening. After several attempts to find answers on her own, including visiting various police stations, she was left with no choice but to file a missing person's report. Manuela's situation was not unique, but it was particularly harrowing. She had been searching for answers for years, and nothing seemed to help.
Starting point is 00:57:00 One fateful night, in the summer of 1986, something unexpected occurred. Manuela decided to try something she had dismissed earlier, she called a radio program hosted by a psychic, hoping against hope that this could be the breakthrough she needed. For years, she had tried everything, speaking to supposed witnesses, visiting tarot readers, psychics, and mediums, but all of it had been in vain. This time, however, she was determined to give it one last shot. It had been nine long years since she had seen her daughter, and as she called the psychics show, she told the woman that ten years had passed.
Starting point is 00:57:33 She wanted to test whether the psychic had real abilities, and when they spoke, the psychic immediately corrected her. She said it had not been ten years, but nine. That alone sent a chilled down Manuel's spine. But the psychic did not stop there. She revealed something even more chilling, Antonia had not left by choice. She had not simply run away. Instead, the psychic claimed that Antonia had been murdered.
Starting point is 00:57:58 This revelation marked the beginning of a long and unsettling investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Antonia Torres Sanchez. Antonio was born into a large family, the fifth of ten children, to Manuela Sanchez Exposito and Francisco Torres Cano. While some sources claim she was born in Beza, Cordoba, her family later moved. to Tortosa, Tarragona, when she was young. She was described as a cheerful, lively girl, full of energy and affection for those around her. Antonia had a magnetic personality, always eager to help and full of life. People who knew her believed she had a bright future ahead of her.
Starting point is 00:58:34 However, there was one issue that had plagued her since childhood, chronic back pain. Despite this, Antonia remained active and energetic. At the age of 16, around 1975, Antonia decided to work as a made in Zaragoza, a job that involved staying at her employer's house from Monday to Friday and returning home to Tortosa on the weekends. In need of a place to stay during the week, Antonia moved into the home of her best friend, Olga, at 38, San Marcial Street in Zaragoza. It was there that she met Fernando Almo Irizari, an electrician hired to fix some electrical issues at her employer's house. Fernando was three years older than Antonia, and the two quickly hit it off. Fernando was charming, respectful, and seemed to get along
Starting point is 00:59:17 well with Antonia's family. However, when Antonio met Fernando's parents, things took a different turn. Fernando's mother, Rosario, was not pleased... Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify.
Starting point is 00:59:40 But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insertion. ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown
Starting point is 01:00:12 podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. With Antonia. She came from a humble background, with a large family living in Tortosa. Rosario believed that Antonio was not a suitable match for her son, thinking she was beneath him in terms of social status. Rosario's attitude was harsh, often belittling Antonia, but Antonio refused to be intimidated. She stood her ground, putting Rosario in her place whenever the woman was rude to her. Despite Rosario's objections, Antonia and Fernando
Starting point is 01:00:53 continued their relationship. At the time, the typical progression for couples was to date for a while, then become engaged, get married, and eventually start a family. However, Antonia and Fernando were not following the traditional path. They enjoyed each other's company, but their relationship did not seem to fit the usual mold. Fernando was not initially interested in marriage, and he was not in a rush to settle down. In 19, In 1777, something happened that would change everything. Antonia found out that she was pregnant. This was a huge shock to both her and Fernando.
Starting point is 01:01:27 In 1977, having a child out of wedlock was still considered a major scandal, especially for a young woman like Antonia. She feared that her reputation would be ruined, and people would think poorly of her. Nonetheless, Antonia was in love with Fernando, and she believed they would eventually marry. also seemed happy about the pregnancy, and he supported her decision to keep the baby. However, as the situation unfolded, the reactions of those around them were far from supportive. Some sources claim that Fernando's parents were already aware of the pregnancy, and they did not take it well. They tried to convince Fernando that the pregnancy was a lie, and they demanded
Starting point is 01:02:05 that he break up with Antonia. But Fernando refused to listen to his parents. After Antonia had been pregnant for three months, she went to see a doctor, accompanied by Olga. The doctor confirmed that she was indeed pregnant, and everything seemed to be going well. Armed with this information, Fernando and Antonia made a decision that would change the course of their lives. They decided to run away together. Fernando took 180,000 pacedas from his parents, a significant amount of money at the time, and the couple set off on a journey across Spain. They traveled to various cities, including Valencia, Pamplona, and Lagrano, visiting friends and family members along the way. During this time, Antonia continued to send letters to her mother, keeping her updated on where
Starting point is 01:02:48 they were and what they were doing. One of the stops on their journey was Tortosa, where Antonia reunited with her family. Everything seemed to be going well, and Antonia even confided in her brother, Manuel, about the pregnancy, asking him to keep it a secret. However, Fernando's mother, Rosario, was furious. She sent two letters to Antonia's family. The first one arrived on January 28, shortly after the country. couple had started their journey. In the letter, Rosario informed Manuel and Francisco that Fernando
Starting point is 01:03:18 had left home, taking all his clothes with him. She suspected that he was with Antonia and even claimed to have reported them to the police. In the letter, Rosario also suggested that Antonia should be sent to a convent, implying that this would have been a better outcome for her. As the weeks passed, Antonia's family stopped receiving letters from her. At first, they thought it was because she was having too much fun and simply forgot to write. However, on March 7th, Fernando returned home, but he was alone. He apologized to his parents for stealing money and for running away with Antonia. He claimed that the two of them had argued, and Antonia had left him.
Starting point is 01:03:55 According to Fernando, she was upset because he didn't want to get married or become a father. Fernando's version of events was troubling to Antonia's family. They had always known her as a kind and sincere person, and the idea that she would suddenly abandoned him seemed completely out of character. They began to worry. Several weeks passed without any word from Antonia, and the family became more concerned. At first, the police were not very helpful. They dismissed the case, assuming that Antonia had simply run away. However, as Manuela pressed the issue, she discovered that Antonia had been five months pregnant when she disappeared. With this new information, the police seemed to take the
Starting point is 01:04:34 matter more seriously, but it didn't lead to any significant progress. Manuela began having strange dreams, in which she saw Antonia trapped in a wooden shed that was burning down. In the dreams, Antonia's stomach moved as though there was a baby inside, and she desperately tried to escape, but no one heard her cries. The dreams were haunting, and they made Manuel believe that her daughter had died in a fire. However, the police found no evidence to support this theory, and the case remained unsolved for years.
Starting point is 01:05:03 For nearly a decade, the family searched tirelessly for Antonia. They put up posters, contacted magazines, and traveled to different locations in hopes of finding a lead. But all their efforts seemed in vain. They encountered nothing but dead ends and false leads. In 1986, Manuela decided to try one last time. She called a radio program hosted by a psychic, hoping that this might finally provide some answers. The psychic, who was named Manuela Aboa Astarda, immediately corrected her when she said that ten years had... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness Podcast.
Starting point is 01:05:36 I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every
Starting point is 01:06:02 download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-K-E-R dot com. It passed since Antonia's disappearance. The psychic said that it had been nine years, and she felt certain that Antonia was dead. This confirmation sent chills down Manuel's spine. The psychic also mentioned that Antonia had been murdered, and that was why she had never returned home.
Starting point is 01:06:50 Manuel's call led to a breakthrough. The psychic connected her with a private investigator, Jorge Colomar, who agreed to take on the case for free. With Colomers' help, Manuel hoped that she would finally be able to uncover the truth about what had happened to her daughter. I never thought I'd see that picture again, the one of my mom's body. But there it was, burned into my retinas like some twisted screensaver. I didn't scream. I didn't cry. I just stared. Because I already knew every inch of that scene. I'd studied it, memorized it, probably dreamed it more times than I could count. But someone
Starting point is 01:07:29 out there wanted me to see it again. Wanted to rip open that wound. toss some salt in, and twist the knife just for fun. This wasn't just a reminder. This was a message. A damn personal one. And here's the kicker, I knew it wasn't the guy who killed her. No way. That guy's trail had gone cold years ago.
Starting point is 01:07:52 This was someone else. A new player on the board. But this one wasn't subtle. He wasn't careful. He was loud, erratic. and messy, like a dog tearing up furniture just to hear the noise. He wanted attention, wanted me chasing his shadow. And guess what? It worked. I ditched everything.
Starting point is 01:08:16 Stopped reporting to the station. Cut off contact with anyone who could be tracked. Smashed my phone and grabbed a few burner ones. I had to disappear, not just from people, but from myself. Cops think like predators. This guy wanted prey. So that's what I became, bait. Silent, alone, low to the ground.
Starting point is 01:08:41 I started digging into the victims. Seven women. All different ages, races, backgrounds. But one thread connected them all, each of them had gotten emails from something called the silence room. Supposed to be a support group. Trauma survivors sharing stories, healing, that kind of thing. But I'm no rookie. This thing stunk from the get-go.
Starting point is 01:09:07 No website. No real contact info. Just an email domain that traced back to a rotting, shut down bookstore in the middle of a downtown block where no one walked anymore. I went in with my hand resting on my holster. The place smelled like dust, mildew, and stale cigarettes. Dead quiet, but the floor told a different story. Fresh footprints. Ash Piles
Starting point is 01:09:34 Someone had been here recently, maybe even still was. I moved slowly, every step a silent threat. And then I saw it. Behind the counter, burned into the wooden wall like some kind of branding, was that damn triangle. Three perfect lines, all converging at the top. I'd seen it before. Crime scenes. Victims.
Starting point is 01:10:00 Always that same freaking symbol. It meant something. I just didn't know what yet. Then, the air changed. I heard a whisper. Faint, but clear. Like a snake slithering through a speaker. You're getting close, detective.
Starting point is 01:10:18 I whipped my gun out, heart slamming against my ribs. Show yourself, I barked. But there was no one. Just the faint static from an old speaker tucked behind a shelf. A recording, just like last time. This guy liked his theatrics. I kept searching and found a trapdoor behind a stack of crumbling romance novels. Underneath.
Starting point is 01:10:43 A basement that looked like a serial killer's Pinterest board. Candle stubs, symbols drawn in chalk, strings pinned between maps and faces. Every victim's photo. Dates. Times Personal details even I hadn't found yet. Then I saw the one photo. that knocked the breath out of me.
Starting point is 01:11:05 It was me. Standing at my mother's grave. Just a week ago. You're watching me, I muttered. And then, right on cue, a voice from behind, low, calm, too damn close. We've been watching you for a long, long time. I spun around and fired. Click.
Starting point is 01:11:26 Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Sfreaker is the all. in one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion.
Starting point is 01:11:45 That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part,
Starting point is 01:12:08 Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Empty air.
Starting point is 01:12:28 Another damn recording. Bastard was always one step ahead. After that, things went into overdrive. The next week was a blur of blood and misdirection. He was speeding up, more victims, less time between them. Two more in three days. Same triangle burned into their skin. Same signature.
Starting point is 01:12:51 Always the left I'm missing. I wasn't sleeping much. Coffee was my blood type. Every alleyway felt like it had eyes. But I kept going. because someone always slips. Always. And someone finally did, but not him. Victim number six. Her last appearance on any surveillance footage was at a train station, caught on a grainy security camera. She was being helped with her bags by some guy. Hoodie pulled up. Face hidden. But there,
Starting point is 01:13:26 on his left hand, a burn. Triangle shaped. That was it. I ran the image through every old database I could dig up. Cult watch lists, FBI files, even the crap they never officially logged. I found him. Michael Harlan. 52. Former member of a defunct cult known as Babel. Thought he died in a fire ten years back.
Starting point is 01:13:54 Guess not. He was hiding out in an old farmhouse upstate. I didn't wait. Didn't call backup. I drove straight there, kicked the damn door in like it owed me money. And he was just, standing there. Like he'd been expecting me. Detective Ward, he said with this smug grin.
Starting point is 01:14:16 You finally made it. You're under arrest, I said, gun drawn. He just laughed. You're too late, I wasn't in the mood. Save it. I don't want your sermon. Just your confession. Oh, I'll give you that, he said.
Starting point is 01:14:32 said, raising his hands. You have no idea how long I've waited to look into your eyes, I cuffed him and dragged him back to the station. And he talked. God, he talked. Confessed to all nine murders, rattled off the details like he was reading a damn shopping list. Even mentioned what kind of soap each victim used. Said it was all, part of the plan. That he was, finishing Babel's sacred work. Said they, whispered to him. in the silence, I tuned him out after that. Let the shrink handle the crazy. What mattered was the case was closed. The families could sleep again. And me? I felt something I hadn't felt in a long, long time, purpose. After the trial, the chief called me into his office.
Starting point is 01:15:23 Big glass windows, worn down desk. Same place he'd fired me from a year earlier. You sticking around this time, he asked, sliding a fresh file toward me. I looked down at it. Another case. Another dead girl. Another nightmare to solve. I nodded. Yeah. Let's get back to work, and I meant it. But as I stepped out of that office, back into the sunlight for what felt like the first time in years, I knew something deep in my bones. That weight in my chest. Still there. Because the real monster, the one who'd taken my mother away, he was still out there, somewhere, waiting, and I'd find him, no matter how long it took. The Bloodhound was back on the scent. And this time, I wouldn't stop till the end.
Starting point is 01:16:19 The dark side of Disney, haunted tales and tragic legends, Disney World is often celebrated as the most magical place on earth. But, what if I told you that behind all the glitter and fairy tales, There's a much darker, creepier side. That's right, Disney's parks are rumored to be home to more than just Mickey and friends. If you dig into the paranormal lore surrounding Disney, you'll find enough ghost stories and eerie legends to fill a haunted library. For starters, many people claim they've seen Walt Disney himself. Yeah, that Walt Disney.
Starting point is 01:16:50 They say his ghost strolls through the parks, whispers in the wind, or even shows up in photos. Sounds too perfect, doesn't it? The story of Walt's ghost feels like the kind of thing someone made up to keep the Disney mystique alive. But ghosts have guests. Now, that's a different story, and apparently, there are plenty of those. Scattered ashes, lingering spirits. Here's a wild fact. Some die-hard Disney fans literally want to stay in the parks forever.
Starting point is 01:17:17 Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from apple podcasts to spotify but the real game changer for me was spreeker's monetization spreeker offers dynamic ad insert insert ads into your episodes no editing required and with spreeker's programmatic ads they'll bring the ads to you and you get paid for every download this turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career spreeker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access adding another
Starting point is 01:17:57 revenue stream to what you're already doing, and the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R dot com. Final wish? To have their ashes scattered in Disney World. It's not just a quirky rumor. There are multiple accounts of families sneaking in urns and scattering apps. ashes during rides or in hidden corners. From Pirates of the Caribbean to the Haunted Mansion, cast members reportedly catch
Starting point is 01:18:34 people doing this more often than you'd think. And here's the kicker, some folks swear these ashes are the reason for strange happenings. Take the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, for example. In 2003, a family allegedly dumped a loved one's ashes inside. Shortly after, weird stuff started happening. Animatronics malfunctioned, the ride stopped midway for no reason, and this visitors reported hearing strange whispers when the park was closed. Employees even claimed to see the ghost of an older man wandering the ride at night. Creepy. Absolutely. But here's the catch,
Starting point is 01:19:09 there's no official record of this happening, which makes it feel more like an urban legend. Still, the idea is chilling. The eerie legends of Tom Sawyer Island. Now let's talk about one of Disney's most low-keyed spooky spots, Tom Sawyer Island. First opened in 1956, this place has its own unique vibe. To get there, guests take a motorized raft, piloted by a staff member, which adds to the sense of adventure. But in the 1970s, rumors of ghostly sightings began to swirl. People started claiming they saw three children playing on the island after hours, laughing, running, and hiding in the shadows. The story goes that decades earlier, three kids tried to swim off the island after dark and drowned in the process. The tale grew legs, with people saying the kids' spirits
Starting point is 01:19:54 lingered, enjoying an eternal game of tag. Sound spooky, right? Except, there's no evidence. No police reports, no official complaints, nada. Investigators have even brought electromagnetic field detectors to the island, trying to find paranormal evidence, but they always come up empty. However, every legend has a kernel of truth, and in the case of Tom Sawyer Island, there's a tragedy that gives the story some weight.
Starting point is 01:20:20 Disney World, with all its grandeur and magic, has always been a magnet for people around the world. Families save for years to experience the joy of walking down Main Street, USA, or seeing Cinderella's castle for the first time. But like every magical kingdom, it seems that Disney has a shadowy side, full of legends, ghostly apparitions, and unexplainable phenomena. One of the most recurring stories is that of people spreading the ashes of their loved ones throughout the park. This might sound bizarre at first, but when you think about how Disney holds such a deep emotional connection for many, it starts to make sense. Families sneak in urns, often under the guise of carrying baby formula or other innocuous items.
Starting point is 01:21:00 Once inside, they scatter ashes on rides, in gardens, or even in the water features. The Haunted Mansion, ironically, is one of the most popular spots for this. Cast members, as Disney employees are called, frequently report needing to clean up these remains, which are referred to as HEPA cleanups in park lingo. Despite the park's strict policies against this practice, it continues to happen. Witnesses have recounted moments where a grieving family tearfully released ashes during a quiet moment on a ride or by a secluded tree. And while many find closure in this act, others believe it may contribute to the rumored hauntings within the park. The ghosts of Disney's rides, some of the most eerie tales come from Disney's iconic attractions.
Starting point is 01:21:42 The Pirates of the Caribbean ride is particularly infamous. Legend has it that an older gentleman's ghost haunts the attraction. Visitors have reported malfunctions during their rides, boats stills. stopping abruptly, animatronics behaving oddly, or the sound system glitching. These occurrences are often attributed to the spirit of a man whose ashes were allegedly scattered there by his family in the early 2000s. Employees claim to hear whispers and see shadowy figures after hours. One chilling account involved a cast member who swore they felt someone tapped their
Starting point is 01:22:13 shoulder, only to turn around and find no one there. It's not just the staff who experienced these moments, some visitors have captured strange anomalies in their photos, like or faint outlines of faces in the ride's dim lighting. Another ride shrouded in mystery is the haunted mansion, which is almost too fitting. This slow-moving, eerie attraction has been linked to numerous ghost stories over the years. A particularly persistent tale is that of a boy whose ashes were scattered inside the mansion. Cast members report seeing a child sitting in the Doom Buggies, the ride's cars, after hours. Some have even heard giggles echoing through the corridors when the ride is supposed to be empty.
Starting point is 01:22:51 Tom Sawyer Island, a tale of tragedy, if there's a location within Disney that seems to embody both innocence and eerieness, it's Tom Sawyer Island. The island's charm lies in its old-timey, adventurous feel, where guests can explore caves, cross rickety bridges, and imagine themselves as part of a Mark Twain novel. But this idyllic setting has its own share of dark tales. The most infamous story revolves around two brothers, Botchan and Dorian, who visited the park in 1973. Bocchin, 18, and his 10-year-old brother decided to hide on the island after the park closed, dreaming of having Disney all to themselves. As night fell, they decided to swim across the river back to the main area of the park. Tragically, Bocchin, carrying his younger brother on his shoulders, was caught in the powerful currents created by hidden underwater turbines. Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt.
Starting point is 01:23:46 Sfreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes me. it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insert insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay
Starting point is 01:24:16 for bonus content or early access. adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com.
Starting point is 01:24:40 Despite his efforts to stay afloat, Botchan was pulled under, and his lifeless body was found hours later. The story of these brothers not only highlights the danger, hidden beneath Disney's carefully curated surface, but also adds to the supernatural lore of the park. Over the years, visitors and employees have reported seeing shadowy figures near the island, hearing faint splashes in the water, and feeling an inexplicable chill when walking along its shores. America sings, a dream-turned nightmare, while guest stories of ghostly encounters are spine-chilling, the tragic case of Deborah, Debbie, Stone, a young Disney cast member, adds a deeply human element
Starting point is 01:25:15 to the park's haunted reputation. Debbie was a bright and ambitious 18-year-old who landed her dream job as a host for the America Sings Attraction. Her job involved introducing guests to the ride and ensuring everything ran smoothly. America Sings, a rotating theater showcasing animatronic animals singing patriotic songs, seemed like a fun and harmless show. However, its design had a fatal flaw. On the night of July 8, 1974, Debbie was standing too close to the rotating walls when the attraction began moving. She became trapped between a stationary wall and the rotating platform, leading to her untimely death. Guests who were on the ride reported hearing her screams but were unsure if they were part of the show.
Starting point is 01:25:57 The attraction was shut down temporarily, and Disney made safety modifications to prevent such an accident from happening again. Despite these changes, Debbie's memory lingers. Cast members have claimed to hear her voice, especially late at night, and some have even felt her presence near the ride. Disney's secret policies, one of the most debated topics about Disney is how the park handles tragedies. According to various rumors and firsthand accounts from former employees, Disney operates under a strict no deaths on property policy. This means that if someone dies within the park, they are not declared deceased until they are outside its boundaries. Emergency response teams reportedly face restrictions on how they operate within the park. Ambulances are said to be
Starting point is 01:26:40 kept out of sight to avoid disturbing guests. There are also claims that security teams confiscate photos and videos of accidents to maintain Disney's pristine image. These practices, whether true or exaggerated, only add to the sense of mystery and intrigues surrounding the park. It's as if Disney is determined to maintain its image as the happiest place on Earth, even in the face of tragedy. The Monorail Tragedy, one of the darkest chapters in Disney World's history, involves its iconic monorail system. In 2009, during a routine operation in the early hours of the morning, a catastrophic collision occurred between two monorail trains, resulting in the tragic death of 21-year-old cast member Austin Wennenberg. The incident sent shockwaves through the
Starting point is 01:27:22 Disney community and raised questions about the park's safety protocols. Guests and employees have since reported eerie experiences near the monorail system. Some claim to hear phantom trains whizzing by or feel an unsettling presence while riding the monorail at night. Security guards stationed at the monorail depots have shared stories of lights flickering inexplicably, and some even refused to work certain shifts, convinced that Austin's spirit lingers. His dedication to the park is remembered fondly by those who knew him, and perhaps that dedication is why his presence remains. Main Street, USA, a portal to the past.
Starting point is 01:27:56 While most ghost stories at Disney World revolve around specific rides or incidents, the park's main street, USA, has its own unique aura. Designed to evoke nostalgia for small-town America, this area is a haven of joy and wonder for many visitors. However, it also seems to be a magnet for ghostly activity. One of the most famous tales involves Walt Disney himself. Many believe that the spirit of Walt still roams the park, particularly around Main Street. In Disneyland, Walt's private apartment above the firehouse has a lamp that remains lit as a tribute to his legacy. Employees have reported seeing shadows move inside the apartment and hearing footsteps when no one is there.
Starting point is 01:28:36 In Disney World, a similar phenomenon is said to occur in the windows of the Emporium and on the second floor of the confectionery shop. Guests occasionally report catching glimpses of a man in a fedora, thought to be Walt, surveying the park he helped create. His presence, if real, seems to be one of comfort, a guardian spirit watching over his creation. The Utiladors, tunnels beneath the magic. Beneath Disney World lies a labyrinth of tunnel. known as the Utilador. Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool
Starting point is 01:29:06 in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion.
Starting point is 01:29:21 That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model
Starting point is 01:29:36 where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreaker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com.
Starting point is 01:30:02 These underground passageways allow cast members to move unseen, ensuring that the magic remains uninterrupted above ground. While practical and efficient, the Utiladors have their own eerie reputation. Former cast members recount hearing whispers and seeing figures darting around corners in the dimly lit tunnels. One common story involves a man in 1970s-style clothing, who is often seen walking purposefully through the tunnels before vanishing. Some believe he might be a former employee who died on the job, while others think he's simply a fragment of the park's collective energy.
Starting point is 01:30:35 Another unsettling legend is that of, The Lady in White, a ghostly figure said to wander the tunnels. She's described as wearing a flowing white dress and having an ethereal glow. Employees claim that encountering her often brings a sudden chill, followed by feelings of unease for sadness. Urban legends or reality. The enduring fascination with Disney's darker side lies in its juxtaposition against the park's reputation for happiness and perfection. Some of these stories are rooted in verifiable events,
Starting point is 01:31:03 while others remain unproven or exaggerated. Yet, all share a common thread, they reflect the deep emotional connection people have with Disney World. For every ghost story, there are countless tales of joy, inspiration, and personal transformation that take place within the park. But perhaps it's this very depth of emotion, love, excitement, nostalgia, and even sorrow, that creates the fertile ground for these supernatural tales. Closing thoughts, Disney World may be known as the happiest place on earth, but like any place with a rich history in millions of visitors, it has its secrets. Whether or not you believe in ghosts or urban legends, there's no denying that these
Starting point is 01:31:41 stories add an intriguing layer to the Disney experience. For some, the park is a place of joy and nostalgia, while for others, it's a realm of mystery and the unexplained. Maybe it's both, a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring magic of a place that captures the imagination like no other. Nessled in the crook of a valley, the small town of Hollow's End was a place where nothing much happened, or so everyone thought. The streets, lined with century-old maples and cobblestone paths, had a sense of timeless charm. But behind this serene facade, there were whispers. Whispers of the Caldwell case, an enigma that had haunted
Starting point is 01:32:17 the town's psyche for over a decade. The day everything changed, it was an otherwise ordinary autumn day when the first ripple disturbed the quiet waters of hollow's end. Leaves, a blaze in shades of amber and crimson, scattered across Main Street as the townsfolk went about their routines. Children laughed as they chased each other through the park, their carefree joyed a sharp contrast to the events that would soon unfold. Martha Jenkins, the town's unofficial historian, was the first to notice something was amiss. She had lived in Hollow's end her entire life and prided herself on her ability to detect even the smallest shifts in the town's rhythms. That morning, as she walked to the general
Starting point is 01:32:54 store, she saw the Caldwell's front gate ajar. This was unusual, the Caldwells were meticulous about keeping their property tidy. Their garden was the envy of the neighborhood, always trimmed and blooming with seasonal flowers. When she peered closer, she saw more signs that something was off. The mailbox, always emptied promptly by 8 a.m., was overflowing. The curtains, usually drawn open to let in the morning light, remained shut. A chill ran down Martha's spine. Something isn't right, she murmured to herself. The Caldwell family. The Caldwells were a family of four, Richard, a reserved man who worked
Starting point is 01:33:30 as a carpenter, Evelyn, his vivacious wife known for her warm smile and baking prowess, and their two children, Lily and Sam. They had moved to Hollow's end five years prior, seeking a fresh start after a string of personal tragedies. Despite their initially reserved demeanor, they have become well-loved members of the community. Lily, 16, was a star student and an aspiring artist, often seen sketching in her notebook under the old oak tree by the river. Sam, just nine, was the town's little explorer, always coming home with pockets full of rocks and
Starting point is 01:34:01 tales of imagined adventures. The discovery, it wasn't long before others noticed the odd silence from the Caldwell House. By midday, a group of concerned neighbors gathered outside. It was Mr. Thompson, the retired police officer, who took the initiative to knock on the door. When no one answered, he pushed it open, finding it unlocked. What they discovered inside would forever change Hollow's end. The living room was in disarray, as if a storm had blown through. Furniture was overturned, and shards of broken glass glinted in the weak sunlight filtering through the curtains.
Starting point is 01:34:35 On the coffee table sat a teapot, its contents cold and untouched. The air was heavy, charged with an unnameable tension. As they ventured further into the house, their unease grew. In the kitchen, a chair lay on its side, and the back door was slightly open, creaking with each gust of wind. Upstairs, Lily's room was eerily untouched, her sketchbook open on the desk. But Sam's room told a different story. His bed was unmade, and his favorite stuffed bear lay abandoned on the floor. On the wall, a faint smear of what looked like dirt or, something darker.
Starting point is 01:35:09 trailed toward the window. The Caldwells were gone. The investigation, the Hollows End Police Department, though small, was efficient. Led by Chief Eleanor Marks, they immediately launched a search. Officers combed the house for clues, while... Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Sfreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me with Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insert insert ads into your episodes.
Starting point is 01:35:46 No editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting, starting out or running a full-blown podcast network. Sprinker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it,
Starting point is 01:36:19 check out Sprinker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. The volunteers scoured the surrounding woods. But the more they searched, the stranger the case became. The first oddity was the lack of footprints. Despite the overturned furniture and open doors, there were no signs of forced entry or tracks leading away from the house. It was as if the family had vanished into thin air.
Starting point is 01:36:42 The second was the discovery of Richard Caldwell's toolbox, left open in the garage. Inside, every tool was accounted for except for a hammer, a detail that seemed trivial at first but would later take on a sinister significance. Whispers and theories, as days turned into weeks with no sign of the Caldwells, the town's imagination ran wild. Some believed they had been victims of a robbery gone wrong, though nothing of value appeared to be missing. Others whispered about the hollow's curse, an old legend claiming the town was built on cursed land. A few even speculated about alien abduction, citing the lack
Starting point is 01:37:17 of footprints and the strange marks in Sam's room. Among the more grounded theories was that Richard Caldwell, burdened by grief and financial strain, had orchestrated their disappearance. While there was no evidence to support this, the idea gained traction, fueled by the human tendency to seek a scapegoat. A break in the case, months later, when Hope had always almost faded, a hiker stumbled upon something chilling in the woods ten miles from town. Beneath a canopy of ancient pines, he found a small, makeshift campsite. Scattered around were torn pieces of clothing, a child's shoe, and, a hammer, its handle stained with a reddish-brown substance.
Starting point is 01:37:54 Forensic analysis confirmed it belonged to Richard Caldwell. The discovery reignited the investigation, but it also deepened the mystery. Why would Richard take his family into the woods? where were they now? The journal, the most significant clue came a year later, during a renovation of the Caldwell House. Beneath a loose floorboard in Lily's room, workers found a small leather-bound journal. It belonged to Lily, and its contents painted a haunting picture. The entry started innocently enough, filled with sketches and musings about school life. But as the pages turned, a darker narrative emerged. Lily wrote of strange occurrences, shadows moving in the corners
Starting point is 01:38:32 of her vision, whispers in the dead of night, and the feeling of being watched. It's in the woods, one entry read. It knows us. It wants us. The final entry, dated the night before the family's disappearance, was a frantic scrawl, it's here. We can't hide, epilogue. To this day, the Caldwell case remains unsolved.
Starting point is 01:38:52 The house stands empty, a chilling reminder of the family that once called at home. Occasionally, passers-by claim to see flickering lights in the windows or hear faint whispers on the wind. Whether these are remnants of the Caldwell's fate or the overactive imaginations of a town steeped in mystery, no one knows. Hollow's end has never been the same. The story of the Caldwell serves as both a cautionary tale and a source of morbid fascination. And on quiet nights, when the wind rustles through the trees and the moon casts its eerie glow, the town holds its breath, wondering if the darkness that took the Caldwell's might one day return. It's been forever since I gave a damn about writing anything.
Starting point is 01:39:31 I mean, sure, I used to be the kind of guy who scribbled in notebooks, jotted thoughts on bar napkins, whatever. But that was a different life. A different me. These days, it takes a hell of a lot to drag something out of me. But this story? This story won't let go. It clawed its way up from wherever I buried it and now it's just sitting here in my chest, growling, snarling, refusing to be ignored. Maybe it's some kind of closure I'm chasing.
Starting point is 01:40:02 Or maybe I'm just throwing myself off the deep end one more time. Honestly? I don't even care. Here goes. Back in the day, they used to call me The Bloodhound. Not the most flattering nickname, but it fit. If there was a trail, I could find it. Didn't matter how faint, how old, how well hidden.
Starting point is 01:40:26 I saw the connections no one else could. Threads invisible to the rest of the world lit up like neon signs for me. I wasn't just good, I was the best. But life has a funny way of gutting you just when you think you've got it all figured out. Everything unraveled the night I found my mom. Dead. Slunked over the kitchen sink like she just gave up mid-dishwashing. Except she hadn't.
Starting point is 01:40:52 Her blood was everywhere. Pooled, splattered, soaked into the damn linoleum like sand. some demented modern art. I don't think I've ever screamed like that. Probably never will again. There was a suspect. One name. Someone who shouldn't have been there.
Starting point is 01:41:12 Someone who had no right to be anywhere near her. But when the cops looked, he was gone. Poof. No footprints. No phone pings. No receipts. Like he never existed. Except I need.
Starting point is 01:41:28 knew he did. And with his disappearance. Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you. and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career.
Starting point is 01:42:03 Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreaker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, Check out spreeker.com.
Starting point is 01:42:28 That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Something in me broke. Snap like a brittle old branch. I quit. Not officially, of course. I still showed up for a while, still wore the badge. But I wasn't really there. My body was, sure.
Starting point is 01:42:49 My spirit. Gone. I got reassigned to desk duty, filing, forms, pointless crap to keep me out of the field. They couldn't fire me. Too much history. Too many solved cases. But they also couldn't let me keep imploding in front of the rookies.
Starting point is 01:43:09 People stopped talking to me. I was the guy no one made I contact within the break room. That's Detective Ward. They'd whisper like I was already dead. He used to be something. Then, last month, something happened. A file landed on my desk. It wasn't supposed to.
Starting point is 01:43:29 Some new guy must have screwed up. But I opened it anyway. Victim, female. Age, 43. Crime scene, suburban home. Cause of death, strangulation, multiple stab wounds. Left I missing. That part made my skin crawl.
Starting point is 01:43:50 I kept reading. Autopsy notes. Scene photos. Witness statements. It was all brutally familiar. And then came the real kick in the gut, it wasn't an isolated case. Seven women. Same mo different cities, different jurisdictions.
Starting point is 01:44:11 No connections, on paper. But I saw it instantly. The pattern. The ritual. Every woman was between 35 and 50. All murdered in their homes. All had their left. I removed. All the deaths were brutal, but calculated. The killer was trying to say something.
Starting point is 01:44:33 To who, I had no idea. But it was a message, loud and sickeningly clear. That same day, the chief walked in. He tossed the folder back on my desk like it was a granade. We want you on this, he said. I didn't even look at him. Just stared at the half-empty bottle of painkillers next to my cold coffee. I'm not that guy anymore. He didn't flinch. Just stood there, waiting, arms folded like he was willing to spend all day in that tiny, dusty office. You were the best. And this? This is your kind of mess. He left, eventually. Didn't say anything else. Didn't need to. That night, I sat alone in my apartment. Lights off. File open. Just me and the dead.
Starting point is 01:45:26 And that face, the latest victim. Her photo stared up at me like an accusation. Something about it, the vacancy where her left I should have been, it lit a fire I thought I'd buried forever. The next morning, I was clean. No booze. No pills. Just coffee, black and bitter as my mood.
Starting point is 01:45:49 I'll take the case, I told the chief. And just like that, I was back. Not because I wanted to be. Because I had to be. First stop, the newest crime scene. Typical suburban nightmare. Two-story, beige siding, wind chimes on the porch like that would ward off evil. The moment I stepped inside, it was like walking into a grave.
Starting point is 01:46:14 The air was too still. Sanitized, but not clean. The kind of clean that comes from trying to scrub away something that won't leave. death doesn't wash out not really she's in here the forensics guy muttered leading me to the living room there she was splayed out on the carpet like a discarded doll hands curled like she'd been praying or fighting maybe both her eye socket was a dark angry hollow someone had taken their time this isn't random i said aloud nobody answered didn't expect them to. Back at the station, I poured over the files. Victim after victim. Same brutality. Same eerie care in the chaos. This killer wasn't just slaughtering these women, he was performing. Putting on a damn show. Then I noticed it. A tiny burn mark on the carpet in each photo. Same place.
Starting point is 01:47:19 Near the body. Almost invisible. I zoomed in. A triangle jagged etched into the floor with heat A signature Son of a bitch I breathed You've done this before
Starting point is 01:47:35 I was hooked Again I'm Darren Marler Host of the Weird Darkness podcast I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host
Starting point is 01:47:49 and distribute your show everywhere From Apple Podcasts to Spotify but the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download.
Starting point is 01:48:07 This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it,
Starting point is 01:48:33 check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R dot com. I pince my will, but completely in. I didn't sleep much after that. I spent my nights connecting the dots. Red string, corkboard, all the clichés. I didn't care. I needed to see the whole picture.
Starting point is 01:48:55 And slowly, it started to form. There were links, tenuous, but real. Each woman had received a strange letter weeks before her death. Same stationary. No return address. Just a few cryptic lines. Phrases like, the I sees all, and repentance is a circle, cult vibes. I tracked the stationery.
Starting point is 01:49:20 Custom print shop in Denver. Ordered in bulk by some guy using a fake name and burner phone. Paid in cash. Dead end. Except not quite. Because the symbol, that jagged triangle, I'd seen it before. Years ago.
Starting point is 01:49:39 In a different case. One we never solved. One that ended with a burned down church and three bodies we never ID. I dug it up. Compared the photos. Same symbol. Same weird ritualistic details. So I went to visit an old friend.
Starting point is 01:50:00 Marty, retired detective. The kind of guy who never forgot a case, even if his memory forgot where he put his car keys. Marty, you ever see this before? I asked, sliding the photo across his kitchen table. His eyes widened. Jesus. You're not messing around. Wish I was.
Starting point is 01:50:21 He rubbed his chest. Chin, then nodded. We thought it was a cult. The seeing eye. Real low profile. Rumors only. Some people thought they were just internet weirdos. Others said they were behind a dozen disappearances.
Starting point is 01:50:39 But we never got close. They vanished, not anymore. I kept digging. Traced old forum posts, obscure message boards. Found chatter about rituals, I for vision, nonsense, and initiation rights involving symbolic sacrifice. Eventually, I got a name. Not the killer. But someone who knew. Her name was Rowan. Used to be a member. Claimed she escaped. She agreed to meet, on one condition, public place, daylight. We met at a park.
Starting point is 01:51:16 She was twitchy, scared. Kept scanning the crowd. You have to stop him. You have to stop him. she said, before I even introduced myself. Him, the shepherd. That's what they call him. He's the one doing this. And he won't stop until he completes the cycle. What cycle, she hesitated. Seven eyes.
Starting point is 01:51:39 Seven sins. The final one, is redemption. Whatever that meant, it didn't sound good. I thanked her, promised to keep her safe. Two days later, she was dead. Same Mo. That was when I knew, this wasn't just a case. It was war. So now here I am. Alone in my apartment again. Case files spread out. Photos, notes, maps. The whole mess. I'm close. I can feel it. One more victim, and the shepherd finishes whatever sick game he's playing. But I won't let him. He took my mother. He took Rowan He took seven lives
Starting point is 01:52:26 He doesn't get to win Not this time The Bloodhound is back And I've got the scent By someone who should have walked away I didn't really sleep much after I picked up the case It wasn't because I was scared Hell, I hadn't felt real fear in years
Starting point is 01:52:44 That kind of thing gets numbed out after enough blood Enough loss, enough late night visits to grieving families No, it wasn't fear It was the silence The kind of silence that doesn't feel right Like the world hit pause Like the air itself was trying not to make a sound Just watching me to see if I'd take that next step
Starting point is 01:53:07 If I'd open a door I shouldn't And I did Of course I did I started dry Hi, I'm Darren Marler, host of the Weird Darkness podcast I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreeker's monetization.
Starting point is 01:53:32 Spreaker offers dynamic ad insert insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners, can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you.
Starting point is 01:53:59 Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Long stretches of nothing. Old gas stations, coffee that taste, like burnt toast, and the kind of towns that don't even show up on half the maps anymore.
Starting point is 01:54:26 I went door to door, talking to families. Parents, siblings, exes. The same grim expressions, like they'd already half buried the truth along with their loved ones but didn't want to admit it. Every home had this weird static energy. You know that vibe you get when you walk into a place and it's too clean. Two, staged. Like no one had truly lived.
Starting point is 01:54:51 there in a long time. That was all of them. Picture-perfect houses, but it was like joy had been exorcised from the walls. They all gave me the same look, too. You know the one. Hope tangled up with hopelessness. Like, they wanted to believe I could do something, maybe bring them answers, maybe justice, but deep down, they knew better. I never gave them false comfort. Didn't promise anything. I just nodded and listened. Then one night, I drove three hours through nothing but fog and radio static to meet Linda Marquez's sister, victim number four. Her name was Gloria. Lived alone on the edge of town in a modest little place that smelled like old candles and burned toast.
Starting point is 01:55:39 She opened the door before I knocked, like she was waiting. Come in, she said. Made coffee that sat untouched between us. She moved like she was underwater, like gravity was heavier in her world than mine. Her voice cracked when she talked, but her eyes were dry. She said someone was following her, Gloria murmured. Some guy in a hoodie, always just far enough that she couldn't be sure. The cops didn't do shit, of course.
Starting point is 01:56:10 Said it was in her head, I thumbed through Linda's old journals on the table. The handwriting changed toward the end, shakier, desperate. At first, it was all boring daily stuff, meetings, work drama, lunch with a friend she didn't really like. But then, a single line hit me like a sledgehammer to the ribs. He said I have to give my eye to see, my breath hitched. Jesus Christ, I muttered. Gloria leaned in. You know something, I stared at the page, my mind spinning like a roulette wheel. I don't know, I said honestly. But I think you wants me to. That night, I went full detective cliche. Laid everything out on the floor of my apartment, files, crime scene photos, hand scribbled notes, voice memos, clippings. The whole room
Starting point is 01:57:00 turned into one big murder board, minus the red string. I circled every weird phrase, every odd symbol in the reports, every note that felt out of place. One word kept showing up like a ghost trying to be seen. Babel, at first, I thought it was some reference to the biblical tower, the one where God scattered everyone's language. But it didn't feel right. This wasn't religious. I dug deeper. Rabbit hold myself into forums, old news stories, declassified FBI files, local legends. And then I found it. An underground organization. Ancient roots. Think cult meet secret society, with the hint of death metal aesthetics. They called themselves Babel, and their whole thing was about
Starting point is 01:57:49 sacrifice, specifically, offering up one's left eye for knowledge. For truth. For, the ability to see beyond, yeah. Totally normal stuff. The symbol they used was a jagged triangle with a left eye scratched through it. Sound familiar? God damn it, I whispered to myself. Was this some twisted fanboy rehashing a dead cult's ideas? Or had Babel never actually disbanded? I went to the precinct the next morning, files in hand, brain fried from caffeine and lack of sleep. They looked at me like I was pitching a screenplay. This is what you've got, my captain asked, holding up a printout of the Babel theory. I know it sounds crazy, but just look, I tried. He cut me off. Ward, you're chasing fairy tales. This is a murder case.
Starting point is 01:58:44 Not a Da Vinci Code spin-off. Then why do all the victims have the same goddamn phrase scribbled in their journals? I snapped. Why the hell does a dead girl talk about sacrificing an eye for truth? They didn't answer. Just told me to go home and take a break. So I didn't go home. I drove.
Starting point is 01:59:05 Again. I sat in the parking lot of a 24-hour diner for three hours trying to piece it together. Then something clicked. Victim number one. The name on the original case files was Claire Bennett. But I cross-referenced everything, birth certificates. Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast.
Starting point is 01:59:25 I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere. From Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insert. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes, no editing required. And with Spreeker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career.
Starting point is 01:59:54 Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Sprinker's powerful tools, scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out Spreaker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R.com. Medical records, Social Security. And guess what? Claire Bennett was fake. Her real name was Rebecca Lang. And she was ex-Babble. Turned federal informant in 2006 after a sting operation on a New Mexico cult compound. She was supposed to be in witness protection.
Starting point is 02:00:44 Supposed to have disappeared. But she didn't disappear. She got killed. And no one said a word. Now it made sense why this case was getting buried under red tape. Why the leads dried up just when things got interesting. This wasn't just murder. It was clean up.
Starting point is 02:01:04 A cover up. I marched into the chief's office the next morning with bloodshot eyes and a folder full of fury. I need access to sealed case files, I said. He didn't even look up. Just sighed. Ward, let it go. You're going off the rails here. No, I said. I'm just getting started. And if I have to drag these damn ghosts into the daylight one by one, I will. I left without permission. Didn't care. Something was happening, and it wasn't just me feeling it. That night, I got home to find my door cracked open. My stomach dropped. I stepped inside, gun drawn, but nothing was missing. The place looked untouched, except for one thing. There was a photo on my bed.
Starting point is 02:01:55 I picked it up slowly, my hands shaking for the first time in years. It was a photo of my mother. Dead. That photo had never been public. It was from the crime scene. From her murder. Years ago. And whoever left it? They were telling me something. I know who you are, Ward. I sat on the edge of the bed, that picture burning a hole through my brain. I stared at the ceiling, the silence back again, heavier than ever.
Starting point is 02:02:27 Then, I said it out loud. You picked the wrong guy to wake up. I didn't sleep that night either. Just stared at the photo like it might move if I looked hard enough. My mother had died when I was set up. Stabbed in our kitchen. They called it a robbery gone wrong. But no one was ever arrested.
Starting point is 02:02:48 And now, years later, someone had dug up that wound and left it like a love note on my goddamn bed. This wasn't a warning. This was personal. I got dressed, grabbed every file I had, and went straight to an old contact of mine, Lewis. Former Fed. Got bounced from the Bureau 4. behavior. Which is code four, he got too close to something that made the suits nervous. He lived in a trailer behind a used car lot. Had cameras everywhere and three locks on every door.
Starting point is 02:03:23 Jesus, Ward. You look like hell. I've seen it, I said, handing him the photo. And apparently it still remembers me. Lewis went quiet. Looked at the photo. Then looked at me. You think this is tied to Babel. I don't think, I said. I know, he sighed. Pored two whiskeys at 10 a.m. and turned on an old box fan to drown out any bugs that might be listening. Then he dropped this on me, there's a file. A real one. Deep sealed. Project Icarus. Babel was part of it, my stomach tightened. What the hell's Project Icarus, same old spook playbook, mind control, cult infiltrate. weaponizing belief systems.
Starting point is 02:04:11 But Babel wasn't just some test group. They broke out of containment, containment. I blinked. What are they, animals? Lewis just stared at me. Oh, I said. Worse than animals, they think Babel figured something out. Some kind of old knowledge.
Starting point is 02:04:32 Language older than language, you follow me? Not just talking in tongues, like, unlocking something in the brain. Stuff that makes people, see things. Hear things. Do things. This is insane, I whispered. Yep, Lewis nodded. But it's all true. I left with a thumb drive full of old reports and a head full of screaming questions. Drove until I found a motel with blinking neon and a front desk clerk who didn't ask questions. I stayed in that room for three days. Didn't leave. just went through everything and here's what I learned
Starting point is 02:05:11 Babel wasn't gone they'd gone deep underground changed names changed rituals but they were still recruiting still offering truth for a price and they were targeting people
Starting point is 02:05:27 who were already on the edge lonely, broken, desperate types people no one would miss and the phrase kept showing up in their material give your eye. See the lie, I dug into victim backgrounds again. Found something new. Every single one of them had reported sleep disturbances. Nightmares. Hallucinations. One even described a shadow with a voice that told her she was chosen. That wasn't a random killer. That was recruitment gone wrong. Or worse, initiation. And then came the real kicker. One of the reports had a name I recognized. Mine. Subject, Ward, Jacob.
Starting point is 02:06:15 Potential asset. High trauma index. Maternal death unsolved. Exhibits obsessive traits. Susceptible, I dropped the report. My heart thudded against my ribs. They've been watching me. Studying me.
Starting point is 02:06:34 Was this whole thing just bait? I couldn't sit still. I threw everything in a duffle and hit the road again. I needed answers. Real ones. From the source. So I drove to the last place on the list. A closed psychiatric facility in upstate New York.
Starting point is 02:06:54 The kind they don't demolish, just fence off and pretend doesn't exist. I had no warrant. No backup. Just a flashlight, a Glock, and a raging. headache. The place was half collapsed, overgrown, but the inside was intact. Someone had been there. Recently. Graffiti on the walls. Symbols. That same jagged triangle with the eye. Drawn over and over in red spray paint. Some fresh. Some decades old. The rooms smelled like mildew and old rot. But in one of them, I found something that didn't fit.
Starting point is 02:07:35 A woman. She was strapped to a chair. Not violently, but like she'd put herself there. She looked up at me like she'd been waiting. Jacob Ward, she said, with a smile like broken glass. We knew you'd come, I leveled the gun at her. Who the hell are you? I was Rebecca, she said.
Starting point is 02:07:57 My blood froze. Rebecca Lang's dead, not yet, she said. They made me disappear. Told you I was gone. It was cleaner that way. What the hell is Babel? She laughed softly. It's not a cult.
Starting point is 02:08:14 It's a key. You think you've been chasing them? They've been guiding you. Grooming you. Every step of the way, I backed away, heart pounding. I'm done with this, I said. No, she said. You were chosen.
Starting point is 02:08:32 You always were, and then she whispered something I'll never forget. A phrase in a language I didn't recognize. My nose started bleeding. My vision blurred. I stumbled out. Got in my car. Drove blindly until I couldn't anymore. Pulled over and puked on the side of the road. I called Lewis. I saw her. Rebecca. She's alive, silence on the other end. Lewis. Then a voice that wasn't Lewis's, Mr. Ward. You shouldn't have come this far. Click. That was two weeks ago. Since then, I've been hiding. Moving motel to motel. Every time I look in the mirror, I see something behind me. Not a person. Not a shadow. Something else. I can't explain it. But I think I opened a door that wasn't meant to be opened. And I don't know how to close it. Last night, I woke up with blood on my pillow. My left eye throbbing.
Starting point is 02:09:40 I looked in the mirror. And for just a second, I swear, I saw someone else looking back. Not someone. Something. I'm writing this as fast as I can. I don't know how long I've got. They're close now. I feel them.
Starting point is 02:09:58 If anyone finds this, burn it. Burry it. Run. But whatever you do, don't say the word. Don't say, Babel, the morning of Sunday, May 9th, 2021, began just like any other. It was Mother's Day, and the Bailey family was looking forward to celebrating as they always did. The children would give Stacy, their mother, gifts, and afterward, the whole family would likely go for a walk and enjoy a meal at a restaurant. But as the morning unfolded, something seemed off. Everyone woke up, except for their third 13-year-old daughter, Tristan. Stacey, surprised by this, couldn't understand why her daughter, who was always full of energy in the first to get everyone moving, was still asleep. Tristan didn't
Starting point is 02:10:42 even make an appearance in the kitchen. Stacey, feeling uneasy, sent her older daughter to check on her, but when she opened the door, she found that Tristan was gone. This was completely unlike her. So, immediately, they called the police. Tristan, also known as Tri, was born on January 18, in St. John's, Florida. She was one of five children in the Bailey family. By all accounts, Try was an active, vibrant, and athletic 13-year-old. She attended the Patriot Oaks Academy in St. John's and was well known for her cheerleading skills. She loved it so much that she planned to continue cheerleading through high school and even into college. Those who knew her described her as creative, outgoing, and always ready to make the best of any situation. Try had many friends, was
Starting point is 02:11:30 punctual, did her homework, and, on occasion, might have stayed out a little longer talking with her friends. Her record was impeccable, she was a good daughter, a good sister, and a loyal friend. At the time of her disappearance, the Bailey family lived in Durban Crossing, a quiet and upscale community, ideal for families with young children. It had green spaces, parks, and a calm, secure atmosphere. So when Stacey didn't find her daughter in her room that morning, she didn't hesitate to call the authorities. The entire community rallied around the family, offering to help in any way they could. Dozens of people volunteered to put up posters of Try around the neighborhood, and others
Starting point is 02:12:08 went door-to-door asking about her. The entire neighborhood was closed-knit, and everyone knew each other. The disappearance shook them to the core. Unfortunately, the police had no leads to follow. Try was just a 13-year-old girl, and her disappearance didn't make sense. The previous evening, there seemed to be no leads to follow. signs of distress. She had gone to dinner with her parents, and after returning home, she went to bed. But shortly after the report was filed, several witnesses came forward claiming to have seen
Starting point is 02:12:37 try walking through a parking lot at 1.24 a.m., accompanied by a young man. The police immediately reviewed security footage from the area. The footage, recorded in the early hours of May 9th, 2021, showed a pair of teenagers walking along Sadlin Court, a dead-end street. At the end of this street was a wooded area. There was some confusion about the exact time the video was taken. Some sources reported it at 12.15 a.m., while most said it was at 1.45 a.m. Regardless, the footage clearly showed Tri walking alongside someone, suggesting she had left her house. The police theorized that after dinner, the Bailey family went to bed, and that's when Tri escaped through her window to meet up with this boy. The boy became a key figure in the investigation. The authorities
Starting point is 02:13:22 continued reviewing the footage and realized the boy might be Aden Fucci, a 14-year-old who attended the same school as Try. According to witnesses, Aden and Tri were good friends. But upon further investigation, the footage showed that Aden later appeared again, this time alone. He was running in the opposite direction, barefoot, and carrying his shoes in his hands. This raised many questions, where had he been, and why was he running? Where was Tri? The police decided to bring Aidan in for questioning. As a minor, he had his parents with him during the interrogation, but he didn't seem to have any issues talking to the authorities. Initially, Aden told the police that he and Tri had gone to visit a friend. He called her, she snuck out of the house,
Starting point is 02:14:06 they went to the friend's place, and then walked back home. This was supposedly what was captured in the security footage. But as the questioning went on, Aidan's story started changing. He said that he left Tri at a corner, then at another. To clarify things, the police invited him for a ride in a patrol car, hoping to get more details about where he had left her and what had happened after. But inside the patrol car, Aiden acted in a strange manner. He began to take selfies, make videos, and post a picture on social media, joking about Tri's disappearance. He posted, Hey guys, has anyone seen Tristan lately? At this point, the police decided to investigate Aden's background.
Starting point is 02:14:45 They spoke to his family, friends, and classmates. Through these conversations, they learned disturbing details. Aidan's cousin revealed that the last time they had spoken, on May 1st, Aidan had said he was certain he would be arrested soon, a statement he repeated during the ride in the patrol car. Aidan's girlfriend also told police that Aden had often talked about wanting to kill someone and had even brought a knife to school. She claimed he had pretended to stab her multiple times,
Starting point is 02:15:11 once pretending to slit her throat. Moreover, in April 2021, Aden had confessed to having a perfect plan for murder, he would find a random person walking at night, drag them into the woods, and stab them. Both the girlfriend and friends confirmed that Aidan had a collection of knives, two of which he called Picker and Poker. One of the knives, Picker, was found at his girlfriend's house. But the knife called Poker was missing, and it became a critical point in the investigation. Tri's friend also weighed in, describing Aden as the textbook definition of an insensitive
Starting point is 02:15:43 person. He didn't care about anyone, didn't care about himself, and was the kind of person one would associate with being a killer. At this point, Aden became the prime suspect. Then, the police discovered a new piece of evidence that turned everything upside down. Security footage from the Fucci family home revealed that Aden had returned home between 3 o'clock and 3.30 a.m. This raised even more questions, where had he been all night? Why had he taken so long to return home? Why was he barefoot? When questioned again, Aidan's story changed.
Starting point is 02:16:16 He now claimed that he and Try had kissed, and then she tried to touch him inappropriately. He said he pushed her away, and she fell, hitting her head. In a panic, Aden claimed he ran away. However, when the police asked him if he had been wearing jeans that night, Aiden said yes, but his mother immediately contradicted him, saying he had worn khaki pants. This moment was crucial, as it indicated that Aden might have been lying to cover up his actions. For 16 hours, Tri was searched for relentlessly. Posters were distributed, and people went door to door.
Starting point is 02:16:49 Amidst the search efforts, a neighbor from Sadlin Court decided to run through the nearby wooded area, and by a lake, he found Tri's lifeless body. The autopsy revealed a shocking truth, Tri had been stabbed 114 times, 49 of which were defensive wounds, indicating she had fought back desperately. She was fully dressed, and one disturbing detail was that the knife might have broken during the attack, causing the perpetrator to stop. But where was the knife, and who had killed her? The police arrested Aden and soon raided his home. Inside, they found several items of clothing with tri's DNA, including a pair of jeans soaked in blood. The police also discovered drawings related to Satanism and disturbing
Starting point is 02:17:29 images of women with severed arms and crosses on their private parts. Additionally, they found a collection of knives, but poker was still missing. Hours later, divers searching the lake recovered the broken knife. As the news spread across the United States, public opinion became divided. Some supported the Bailey family, while others, oddly enough, supported the Fucci family. There were even threats made against the Bailey family, and rumors spread claiming Aden was either innocent or not acting alone. The police had to publicly address these false claims. It became a surreal situation, sparking debates on parenting in the education children are
Starting point is 02:18:06 receiving today. The case raised important questions, not just about Aidan's motives, but also about the broader implications of his upbringing. Many knew that Aden had a fascination with violence, knives, and even murder, and his choice of victim seemed to be tried, not because they were particularly close, but because she was trusting, friendly, and outgoing. Aidan, in essence, pretended to be her friend before betraying her. Initially, there was talk of charging him with second-degree murder, assuming the crime wasn't
Starting point is 02:18:34 premeditated. After all, he was just a 14-year-old boy. However, public outcry led to a petition with over 700,000 signatures, demanding that Aden be tried as an adult. Ultimately, Aden was charged with first-degree murder, which, if convicted, could lead to a life sentence without the possibility of parole. In addition, a chilling detail emerged. When the police reviewed the Fucci family's security footage, they found Aden's mother, just a smith, washing clothes in the bathroom. These were the very same genes that the police had found in Aden's room, soaking in blood. It appeared that Aden's mother had suspected her son's involvement and had attempted to clean the evidence before the police could find it. She was subsequently
Starting point is 02:19:16 arrested and charged with evidence tampering. As the case progressed, there were claims that Aden might have had some psychological issues. His girlfriend had mentioned that he often heard voices, which made him angry. Some speculated that his behavior was influenced by mental health issues, leading to a debate over whether he was truly mentally ill or just faking it to get a reduced sentence. This issue became a central topic in the case. In September 2021, Aden's trial began. The public watched closely as he appeared in court, seemingly confused and frightened, murmuring about wanting to talk to his parents. Some believed he was faking it, trying to play the role of someone mentally unstable. Others, however,
Starting point is 02:19:55 thought his behavior was genuine. Throughout all of this, Aidan maintained his innocence, refusing to admit to the murder. His behavior in court continued to raise questions about his mental state. In May 2022, Aden's trial was finally scheduled, and many expected him to receive a life sentence. The public remained divided on the case, but one thing was clear, the brutal murder of Tri Bailey had left an indelible mark on everyone involved, and the questions surrounding it might never be fully answered. The tragic tale of Snow and Helen, a shocking internet scandal. Let's dive into a wild, eerie, and deeply disturbing story that had the internet buzzing back in late 2021. This isn't just another influencer drama, it's a case that left
Starting point is 02:20:37 many questioning how things spiraled so out of control. At the heart of it all was a cosplayer known as Yandra Freak, or Just Snow, and a young, bright woman named Helen Hastings. This story takes us through fame, controversy, and a tragic turn of events that no one could have seen coming. A bright beginning. Our tale begins in Houston, Texas, with the marriage of two renowned geneticists, Susan Rosenberg and Philip Hastings. Both were highly respected in their fields, working at Baylor College of Medicine. Despite their demanding careers, they longed for a family of their own. By 2002, after years of trying and overcoming significant hurdles, Susan was over 40 and Philip nearing 65, they welcomed their daughter, Helen Rose
Starting point is 02:21:19 Hastings, into the world. Helen's arrival wasn't without challenges. Susan's pregnancy was complicated by preeclampsia, a condition that nearly cost her life. But against the odds, both mother and daughter pulled through. From a young age, Helen showed an incredible spark. By 18 months, she could form complete sentences. As she grew, her curiosity in talents flourished. Whether it was swimming, theater, music camps, or robotics workshops, Helen seemed to excel at everything. By all accounts, Helen had an idyllic childhood. Her parents, though busy, took her everywhere, from scientific conferences in Greece and Japan to family vacations in Norway and Croatia. It was during a trip to Japan that
Starting point is 02:22:03 Helen fell in love with Japanese culture. Manga and anime became her escape, and she even dreamed of one day opening a school for women scientists in the country. A dark shift, things took a darker turn when Helen entered high school. Her small stature, barely over five feet, made her an easy target for bullies. To make matters worse, Helen suffered from misophonia, a condition where certain repetitive sounds, chewing, tapping, sneezing, triggered intense discomfort. Classmates exploited this mercilessly, driving Helen into isolation. Adding to her struggles, Helen realized she was pansexual.
Starting point is 02:22:39 While this self-discovery was empowering, her first relationship ended painfully when her girlfriend outed her to classmates. This betrayal, paired with relentless bullying, led Helen into a spiral of anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder she would battle for years. Seeking solace, Helen turned to the internet. It was here, through social media, that she found a world where she could express herself freely. By the time she was in eighth grade, her childhood friend Bailey introduced her to the world of cosplay at Houston's anime Matsuri convention. That event was life-changing. Helen discovered a creative outlet, that allowed her to transform into someone else, even if only for a weekend.
Starting point is 02:23:17 Finding a new identity online, Helen threw herself into cosplay, designing intricate costumes and gaining followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. By 2019, she had amassed over 120,000 followers on TikTok. Her parents, while initially skeptical, supported her hobby when they saw how much it meant to her. It was during this time that Helen became captivated by another cosplayer, Marion Oliver Snow, better known as Yandera Freak or Simply Snow. Snow was everything Helen aspired to be, bold, unapologetically non-binary, and internet famous, boasting over 1.6 million TikTok followers. Snow's most iconic cosplay was Junko Inoshima from Dangan Rompa, a character Snow embodied so convincingly that fans often referred to them as Junko in
Starting point is 02:24:02 real life. Snow's controversial rise, but Snow's fame was riddled with controversy. Over the years, variety for several questionable actions. Cemetery stunt, in 2019, Snow and a friend filmed a cosplay video in a cemetery, vandalizing tombstones and engaging in inappropriate behavior. When backlash ensued, Snow dismissively claimed ignorance, saying, I didn't know there were so many damn rules for cemeteries. Scamming fans, Snow was accused of using fan donations, meant for sick kittens, for personal expenses. When pressed for proof of the kitten's existence, Snow lashed out instead of providing evidence. Palooka Gate, Snow charged fans $300 for custom junko wigs but delivered subpar products.
Starting point is 02:24:47 When one buyer, YouTuber starred Deer, exposed the scam, Snow responded with defiance, claiming their work was misunderstood. A toxic friendship, despite Snow's polarizing reputation, Helen admired them deeply. The two eventually met and became close friends. Helen's parents, however, were uneasy. Snow's erratic behavior, switching personas, substance abuse, and inability to separate reality from cosplay, concerned them. When Helen was accepted to Oberlin College in Ohio, her parents were relieved. They hoped distance would weaken Snow's influence. But in a twist, Snow convinced
Starting point is 02:25:24 Helen to live with them temporarily before her move. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and classes went online, Helen chose to stay with Snow instead of returning home. The tragic night. On January 16, 2021, Snow hosted a small gathering at their home. The night began with drinking, laughter, and watching Gotham. Snow, heavily intoxicated, found an old pistol belonging to an ex-boyfriend and decided it would be funny to use it as a prop. At some point, Helen jokingly asked Snow to shoot her. Believing the gun was unloaded, Snow pointed it at Helen and pulled the trigger. The gun fired. Helen collapsed, a pool of blood forming beneath her. Ellen was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced brain dead.
Starting point is 02:26:09 Two days later, her family made the heart-wrenching decision to remove her from life support. Aftermath, Snow's trial revealed a shocking level of negligence. They claimed they thought the gun was unloaded because their ex had said so. But critics pointed out that anyone handling a firearm should know basic safety protocols. The chaos begins, a teen against the neighborhood, when you're the new kid in a quiet neighborhood, you'd think you'd want to blend in, right? That wasn't the case for 18-year-old Zach, a teenager who quickly turned a peaceful community into his personal playground of chaos.
Starting point is 02:26:42 To understand how it escalated into a full-blown tragedy, we have to rewind two years to 2018. Back then, Zach's life took a sharp turn. His mother passed away, leaving him to move in with his grandparents in Vineland, New Jersey, a neighborhood best described as serene, full of families and retirees who loved their quiet routines. Zach, however, was a disruption from the start. At just 16, he already had a bit of a reputation, reckless driving, threatening behavior, and
Starting point is 02:27:10 a defiant attitude. Instead of grieving, Zach decided to make a splash. He bought a flashy corvette with his inheritance and, unsurprisingly, used it to make himself the center of attention. Reving engines, speeding through the streets, it didn't take long before the neighbors started complaining. But Zach wasn't one to care. The community speaks up.
Starting point is 02:27:30 Among the concerned neighbors was William, Timmy, Durham, or respected member of the community. Timmy wasn't just any neighbor, he was someone people trusted. Married to his high school sweetheart Catherine, he had two kids, Billy and Gage, and a steady career as a correctional officer. Timmy wasn't confrontational, but he believed in standing up for what was right. When Timmy first approached Zach's grandparents to discuss the teenager's disruptive behavior, it was meant as a friendly nudge. But Zach, being Zach, didn't take kindly to authority. After some prodding from his grandparents, he went to apologize. It was half-hearted at best, and everyone knew it. From there, the tension only
Starting point is 02:28:10 grew. Zach's TikTok rise, things took a darker turn when Zach emancipated himself at 17. Now free to do as he pleased, Zach started flexing his rebellious streak online. TikTok became his stage, where he showcased his love for fast cars, partying, and breaking the rules. Somehow, he managed to gain a following of like-minded teens who cheered him on. His online antics weren't just for show, they directly targeted the Durham's. Videos of him mocking the family, showing off weapons, and bragging about his bad behavior painted a distorted narrative. He framed himself as the victim of a stuck-up neighborhood that just couldn't handle his coolness. The tensions explode. In April 2020, the Durham's had had enough. After months of enduring harassment,
Starting point is 02:28:54 including a near accident where Zach allegedly tried to run over Gage while he was biking, Catherine and Timmy confronted Zach. The confrontation quickly escalated. Zach, of course, filmed the entire encounter and posted it online. His followers encouraged him to push the boundaries even further. Billy, the Durham's oldest son, wasn't one to back down. Seeing Zach's provocations online made his blood boil. When he saw Zach parked on the street one day, he demanded he delete the videos. Zach's response?
Starting point is 02:29:26 A smug laugh, followed by a display of his weapon. The fatal confrontation, the tension reached its peak on May 4, 2020. What started as another heated argument between the Durham's and Zach turned violent. Timmy and Billy tried to confront Zach at his house, but things spiraled out of control. Zach, armed with a knife and a stun gun, claimed he was defending himself when the Durham's allegedly trespassed on his property. In the chaotic struggle, Timmy was fatally stabbed. Zach called 9-1-1, framing himself as the victim in the situation. His version of events painted the Durhams as aggressors who had barged onto his property armed and looking for a fight.
Starting point is 02:30:04 The legal fallout, both sides lawyered up, and the case became a battlefield of conflicting narratives. Zach's defense claimed self-defense, emphasizing that the Durhams had crossed onto his property. Meanwhile, the Durhams argued that Zach had a history of provocation and had escalated the situation on purpose for social media clout. Zach's TikTok behavior became a focal point. Videos of him showing off weapons, threatening the Durhams, and boasting about breaking the law painted a clear picture of someone who thrived on chaos. A troubled trial, the legal process
Starting point is 02:30:36 dragged on, complicated by the pandemic. Courts were closed, and justice seemed out of reach. Zach was released on conditional bail, but his online antics continued. He defied court orders by creating new TikTok accounts, where he continued to mock the Durhams and flaunt his disregard for the law. At one point, Zach was even involved in a road rage incident in Florida, where he reportedly threatened a motorcyclist with a realistic-looking airsoft gun. This incident further highlighted his inability to stay out of trouble. The bigger picture, the case highlights deeper issues about social media's role in enabling and amplifying harmful behavior.
Starting point is 02:31:13 Zach's online following encouraged his worst tendencies, turning a neighborhood dispute into a deadly tragedy. On the night of October 16, 2019, at around 9 p.m., a couple approached the Guardia Civil with a story that seemed almost unbelievable. They told the officers that someone had killed and dismembered a person and was asking for help to clean up the crime scene and dispose of the body. Naturally, the officers didn't take them seriously at first. They assumed it was some kind of sick joke or a scene taken directly from a horror movie. So, they asked the couple for proof.
Starting point is 02:31:46 The couple then pulled out their phones and showed the agents a chilling photo, a garbage bin containing burnt human remains and a skull. This was the moment that marked the beginning of a sinister case. The story that followed unraveled the life of Leonardo Valencia Haramio, a man whose dark and violent tendencies would soon be revealed. Born in Colombia on January 1st, 1992, Leonardo was the son of Nora Elena Haramio and Fernando Valencia. Little is known about his childhood, but what is clear is that he moved to Spain 20 years ago, along with his brother Christian. His brother, who is now divorced, lived with Leonardo in the house where everything would eventually unfold. In 2014,
Starting point is 02:32:25 Leonardo and his brother were informed of an empty house located at 124, France Street in Valdamoro, Madrid, a place with no visible occupants. They decided to occupy it illegally. Within days, Leonardo had illegally connected the house to the water and electricity supply. A few months later, he transformed the house into a tattoo studio, which helped him start earning money. Leonardo had a passion for the gym, tattoos, and illustration, but he also had a fascination with all things macab.
Starting point is 02:32:53 There are pictures of him smiling among tombstones and mausoleums, and his house was filled with skulls and other sinister objects. Many sources suggest that he was insecure due to his short stature, and he used his intense workouts at the gym to compensate for this. He was often seen lifting weights and taking photos to show off his progress, which seemed essential to him, as if he hadn't trained if he didn't post pictures about it. Some online sources also paint Leonardo as a complex individual with a deep-seated disdain for women. He was an admirer of violence, gore, the grotesque, horror films, sadomasochism,
Starting point is 02:33:28 and weapons. His social media pages were full of photos showcasing his collection of weapons and images of movie characters. He was particularly fond of characters like The Joker, Hannibal Lecter, and infamous serial killers such as Ted Bundy and BTK. He had multiple aliases, calling himself the butcher tattoo artist and often signing his artwork with the name butcher. It wasn't just his fascination with violence that raised alarm. In 2014, he was accused of stabbing a young anti-fascist. From that moment on, rumors started circulating that Leonardo had links to neo-Nazi groups, though these rumors have never been substantiated. Additionally, some said he recruited young people for witchcraft and satanic meetings, although again,
Starting point is 02:34:11 there's little concrete evidence to support these claims. What we do know, according to sources like L. Confidential, is that Leonardo was married at one point. His ex-wife, however, had no ill words to say about him, claiming he never physically abused her. But she did acknowledge that he was an avid collector of weapons. The next woman he was with, however, painted a much darker picture. She dated him from 2013 to 2015 and later described him as normal at first, but he grew increasingly possessive and violent over time. She recounted how, during arguments, he would hit her. On one occasion, he threatened her with a machete and, on another, pointed a shotgun at her. She also claimed that he had a disturbing fascination with self-harm, and once even confessed,
Starting point is 02:34:56 I would like to kill someone. In a particularly chilling moment, he told her, if you die before I let your flesh spoil, I would eat you. The situation became so intense that the woman fled to northern Spain and had to get a restraining order against him. She later described an incident where Leonardo, overcome with jealousy, tried to choke her by applying the thematalian technique, an illegal chokehold that can render a person unconscious. She managed to escape, but the experience deeply traumatized her.
Starting point is 02:35:24 Neighbors, however, never noticed anything unusual about him. They described him as calm and solitary, but not violent. He was friendly with some neighbors but kept to himself otherwise. One woman who had tattooed with him described how, despite the strange decorations in his home, like figurines and horror-related items, she never felt threatened by him. She even stayed over at his house, where she felt comfortable enough to fall asleep while he tattooed her. There were also rumors that Leonardo might have been schizophrenic and that he wasn't taking any medication. Some even speculated that he was involved in drug dealing, which would later play an important role in the investigation.
Starting point is 02:36:01 In late 2018, a young woman named Emils Coagoyo, born in Madrid in 2001, entered Leonardo's tattoo studio. Over time, they became friends, and Emils would visit him regularly to get tattoos. Emils, the daughter of two Guardia civil officers, led a relatively normal life, which made her association with someone like Leonardo seem all the more strange. She was described as a healthy, well-adjusted person, so it was odd that she would get along with someone so dark and twisted. Rumors started circulating that Emils was asking Leonardo for medication, particularly Rivetrel, a powerful sedative that can be used to treat anxiety in seizures.
Starting point is 02:36:39 Their relationship might have initially been one of convenience, as Imils was seeking medication without a prescription, but soon things would take a terrifying turn. On the night of October 15, 2019, Emils prepared to leave home. She told her mother she was going to visit a friend, Leonardo, to get some rivetrel. Her mother asked her whether she'd be staying out and if she'd be going with her boyfriend or a friend, but Emils just said she didn't know. She assured her mother that she wouldn't leave Valdemoro, and therefore there was no need to worry. She left around 11.30 p.m., texting her boyfriend Jason to let him know she was heading to
Starting point is 02:37:13 Leonardo's house to get the medication. By 12 a.m., Emil sent Jason a message saying she was getting the pills and would come home afterward. That was the last time anyone heard from her. The next morning, Emil's mother realized she wasn't at home and sent her several messages, but received no reply. Eventually, she called Emil's phone, but it went straight to voicemail. Something was terribly wrong. At this point, Emil's mother reported her missing. The police initially asked for a DNA sample, which seemed strange, and even though Sandra, Emile's mother, was confused and anxious, she complied. It wasn't long before they informed her that her daughter had been murdered. But how did the authorities know she was dead? How could they have known what had
Starting point is 02:37:56 happened before even speaking to Sandra in detail? The police were piecing together at the timeline. Around 11 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. on October 15th, Emils was seen leaving her home, heading to Leonardo's. At midnight, she arrived at his house. After that, there was silence for several hours. Around 3 a.m., she sent a message to her ex-girlfriend, Celia, asking to meet up, but Celia didn't read it in time. At the time, Celia was living with another ex, Miguel Unhell, because she was scared
Starting point is 02:38:27 of Leonardo. She'd shared with the authorities that she feared he might harm her or her loved ones, so she sought refuge with Miguel Unhell. As the night continued, between 5 o'clock and 11 a.m. on October 16, neighbors reported seeing thick smoke coming from Leonardo's house. When they asked him about it, he claimed it was just a burnt stew. But the neighbors noticed too much movement around the house and began to suspect something was a miss. By 1 p.m., Leonardo went to a store to buy cleaning supplies, which was caught on security cameras. Later, he went to his brother's house for lunch,
Starting point is 02:39:01 but after that, he returned home and tried to contact Celia, though she still didn't respond. At around 4 p.m., Celia and Miguel Unhell played a larger role in the events. Celia had a medical appointment, and Miguel Unhell accompanied her. Unfortunately, he left her alone for a moment, and that's when Celia checked her phone and saw the messages from Leonardo. Terrified of what might happen, she replied, and soon after, Leonardo showed up, covered in blood and smelling of both blood and decay. He confessed to having killed someone and said he felt nothing about it.
Starting point is 02:39:34 He added that he had disposed of the body but still needed help cleaning up. Celia, shaken and fearful for her life, didn't know what to do. She feared that Leonardo might harm her or Miguel Unhell. Terrified, she reluctantly agreed to go along with him. They bought new clothes and more cleaning products. But during one moment, Celia discreetly called Miguel Unhell, informing him of the situation, asking him not to show up because she was was afraid of what Leonardo might do to them.
Starting point is 02:40:02 At around 6 p.m., they arrived back at Leonardo's house, and Celia sent a message to Miguel Unhell, asking him not to call anyone unless she told him to. Leonardo reassured her that he wouldn't hurt her and asked for her help cleaning the house. He told her that the worst part was the basement, but that she should also clean the bathroom, where he claimed he had dismembered the body. Celia, horrified by the sight of blood and gore, did as he asked, but as she cleaned, She found a disturbing note, one person I killed has been put in a garbage bin, and another is buried under the house.
Starting point is 02:40:34 At this point, Celia called the police, and the authorities arrived at the scene. They managed to collect Leonardo's confession, and the grim details of his actions were revealed. He had indeed killed Emils, and he had done so with a combination of violence and grotesque sadism. The case shocked everyone, especially considering that Leonardo had once seemed like a normal man. From his passion for tattoos to his enigmatic and dark persona, no one could have predicted the horrors he would ultimately commit. The story of Leonardo Valencia Haramio is one of a man who lived in the shadows, hiding
Starting point is 02:41:05 his twisted nature behind a v. Nier of normalcy. His actions served as a grim reminder that sometimes, those who seem the least threatening can harbor the darkest secrets. V. Bagnet is a small village located in the northwest of the Jland County in Sweden. For a long time, it was known as a peaceful, tranquil place, with only a handful of residence. Today, however, the population has shrunk even further, and there are just 65 people living there. At the heart of the village is a church, and aside from that, there's only a small grocery store and a gas station. But for the people who live there, that's enough. It's not the kind of place
Starting point is 02:41:42 people typically go to for vacations, especially when there are other, more touristy destinations in Sweden. But in recent years, things have started to change. New businesses are popping up, and tourists from Germany and the Netherlands are starting to visit. What brings them to this quiet village isn't the peaceful atmosphere, but rather the legend surrounding a supposedly haunted location, an old vicarage built back in 1876. At first glance, the vicarage looks like nothing special. It's an old farmhouse with no remarkable features, but it has a dark history.
Starting point is 02:42:14 This old building is believed to be the most haunted house in Sweden. Over 250 years ago, the first settlers arrived in the area, and, like most towns of that era, a church was the first structure to be built. However, since the village was so small and isolated, they couldn't just build a church and wait for a priest to come by. So, alongside the church, they constructed a small house with a garden. That's when the Borg-Bagnet Vicarage was born. For the first 50 years of its existence, there were no reports of paranormal activity.
Starting point is 02:42:45 But then, things started to take a strange turn. The Vicarage hosted 15 priests and their families, and each time. time, they left without any clear explanation. They simply arrived, stayed for a while, and then packed up and left. The locals began to notice this unusual pattern, but no one could figure out what was going on. Rumors started circulating, but the church kept quiet. It wasn't long before people began to suspect that something was terribly wrong with the house. But they couldn't know how much worse it really was. In 1927, things began to take a more unsettling turn when the priest Nils Headland started noticing strange occurrences in the
Starting point is 02:43:23 vicarage. He would hear footsteps and feel the presence of someone, especially when he was cleaning certain rooms. The house had a dark, eerie atmosphere, mainly because it was constructed with wood, and the creaking sounds could easily be dismissed as natural noises. However, one day, while hanging laundry in the backyard, Nils felt an invisible force ripping the clothes off the line. The clothes were yanked off and thrown to the ground, but there was no wind. Nils was convinced he was dealing with a ghost. He searched for explanations and remembered that his mother, Martha, had died in that same house while giving birth to her 11th child.
Starting point is 02:43:59 Nils believed her death might be linked to the strange occurrences. Before she passed, Martha had been in charge of cleaning, cooking, and maintaining the house, which could explain why the activity seemed tied to her. However, the situation became unbearable for Nils, and he decided to leave. In 1930, another priest, Rudolf Tangian, moved into the vicarage. One night, as he was heading to his room to sleep, he encountered a woman standing at the end of the hallway. She was dressed entirely in grey and stared at him for a long moment.
Starting point is 02:44:30 Tangent didn't know how to react, but after a few moments, the woman turned and slowly walked into one of the rooms. He followed her, but when he entered the room, there was no one there. The strange sightings continued. In 1936, Odo Lingre, another priest, and his first wife moved into the vicarage. At first, everything seemed fine. It was a large, spacious, and comfortable house, and they were happy. But soon enough, the strange sounds started again. The creaking of the wood, the unexplained temperature changes, and the general sense of presence
Starting point is 02:45:02 in the house. The couple initially tried to rationalize the events, but one night, as they sat in the living room, they heard the front door open and someone's footsteps moving toward the kitchen. Oto went to investigate, but when he got to the kitchen, there was no one there. This strange occurrence repeated itself, but each time, the couple was in different parts of the house. One night, Odo's wife was in the kitchen when the front door opened, and she heard the footsteps coming toward her. In a panic, she quickly closed the door, but as soon as she did, strange music began to play from somewhere. She couldn't figure out where it was coming from, and when she opened the door again, the music stopped.
Starting point is 02:45:41 Terrified, she went upstairs to tell Odo what had happened, but as they descended together, the music began again, and they never found its source. In 1941, a woman named Inga Flowing visited the vicarage and stayed in a guest room called The Lady's Weeping Room. At first, she had a peaceful night's sleep, but in the middle of the night, she woke up with the distinct feeling that someone was watching her. When she sat up in bed, she saw three elderly women sitting on a couch. Inga thought she was dreaming, but when she turned on the light, the women were still there.
Starting point is 02:46:12 One was dressed in black, the second in purple, and the third in gray. The first two seemed to be crying, while the third was knitting. Some accounts say that Inga fainted, but others claimed she wasn't scared and simply curled up and went back to sleep. Whatever the case, it was clear that the vicarage was not an ordinary house. In 1945, another priest, Eric Lingen, moved into the vicarage. At first, he kept to himself and did. didn't talk much about the strange rumors surrounding the house.
Starting point is 02:46:40 But in December of 1947, during a celebration, a journalist bluntly asked Eric if anything unusual had ever happened in the house. To everyone's surprise, Eric admitted that there were indeed strange happenings. He'd spent the past two years documenting the incidents, which included whispering voices, furniture moving by itself, and objects seemingly disappearing. Eric initially thought these occurrences were due to the house's age and poor electrical systems, But eventually, the strange phenomena escalated. He began to bump into invisible objects while walking through the house, and one night,
Starting point is 02:47:13 he experienced a terrifying event. While sitting in a rocking chair to read, the chair started moving violently on its own. He tried to stop it, but ended up falling to the floor. After several failed attempts to get the chair under control, Eric never sat in it again. Throughout the years, everyone who lived in or visited the vicarage reported strange occurrences, the church remained silent about it. In 1980, Father Tor Forseland decided to try and rid the house of its dark presence by performing an exorcism. After a year of living in the house and using every method he could think of, he came to the conclusion that the spirits were
Starting point is 02:47:47 so attached to the land that they would never leave. He left the vicarage for good, never to return. The next owners, Tony and Nick Sloan, were aware of the house's haunted reputation and weren't frightened by it. In fact, they even formed a small paranormal research group. They spent one night in the house with cameras, motion sensors, and other equipment to document their experience. According to their report, all four of them experienced dizziness, nausea, headaches, and the unnerving feeling that the spirits knew who they were. Despite these sensations, they stayed in the house for 24 hours, but they couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Today, the vicarage operates as a bed-and breakfast catering to fans of the paranormal. They offer ghost tours and even
Starting point is 02:48:31 teach visitors how to investigate paranormal activity. In 2009, the TV show Ghost Hunters filmed the special episode there. While shows like this are often criticized for exaggerating their findings, many people who visit the Vicarage share their experiences online. One such person, a blogger named Caring Demo, wrote about his visit on October 23, 2019. He initially didn't believe in ghosts but agreed to stay at the Vicarage after his father gave him a night there as a gift. After hearing the stories and experiencing some odd sensations, he and his father eventually went to bed. Later, he woke up with the overwhelming sensation that something heavy was pressing down on his body, as though he couldn't move. After about ten minutes,
Starting point is 02:49:13 the feeling passed, and everything seemed normal again. His father also woke up, complaining about branches tapping against the window, but there were no trees or branches near the building. So, what do you think? Do you believe the vicarage is truly haunted, Or is there another explanation for the strange occurrences that have plagued this old house for centuries? Hey there. My name's Nancy. Blonde hair, green eyes, five feet eleven inches tall, and one hundred and twenty-three pounds. Anyone out there interested in buying my? No, this isn't some internet scam.
Starting point is 02:49:46 This is real. And this story? Oh, this story is wilder than anything you'd ever expect. It all starts on the morning of October 13, 1996. Introduction to Sharon. Meet Sharon. She's 31 years old, married to Victor, and on this particular morning, she tells her husband that she's heading to Georgia for a few days. Visiting a friend, she says. She'll be gone for about three days. Victor, being the good husband that he is, helps her pack her bags and takes her to the train
Starting point is 02:50:17 station. Or at least that's one version of the story. Another version suggests that Victor had already left for work, and Sharon left alone. Either way, when Victor returns home that evening, he finds something unexpected, a note from Sharon. A very strange note. It doesn't just say that she won't be coming back. It also includes this eerie message. If my body is never found, don't worry. Just know that I am at peace. Victor is dumbfounded. What kind of message is that? If it's a joke, it's a terrible one. If it's serious, well, then things are much, much worse than he thought. Discovery of the emails, Victor doesn't know what to do. At first, he convinces himself that it's all some twisted joke. That Sharon will be back in a few days, and they'll
Starting point is 02:51:04 laugh about it. But days pass. And she doesn't come back. No calls. No messages. Nothing. So Victor decides to dig deeper. He logs into Sharon's computer, and what he finds shocks him. For months, she'd been exchanging emails with someone named Slow Hand, not just a few emails, 900 pages worth of messages. And these weren't just your average friendly emails. No, no. These emails detailed something far more disturbing. Sharon had a fantasy.
Starting point is 02:51:38 A fantasy that involved her own death. And Slow Hand. Well, he was more than happy to make that fantasy a reality. Sharon's background. Let's rewind for a second. Sharon was born on September 20th, 1961, in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the eldest of four daughters in a strict Orthodox Jewish family. By all accounts, Sharon was, normal.
Starting point is 02:52:02 Not super popular, but she had friends. She played sports in high school, volleyball, basketball, and even sang in the choir. But the real turning point in her life came when she met Victor. Victor was Catholic. And her parents? Well, they didn't approve. But love is love, and in 1991, Sharon and Victor tied the knot. That decision cost her her relationship with her family.
Starting point is 02:52:27 They cut ties, leaving Sharon to start a new life with Victor in a small ranch home in Hampstead, Maryland. Sharon's double life begins. At first, life was fine. Victor worked in construction, and Sharon played the role of a housewife. She even got involved in a community, lending a helping hand where needed. But in 1995, Victor bought a computer. That's when things started to change. At first, the computer was just a tool.
Starting point is 02:52:54 Victor used it for work. Sharon, on the other hand, used it for something else, the internet. She started small, just exploring. Then, she got an idea. Sharon and a friend launched a small business. They were into interior decorating, so they created a website called House of Dion. They sold decorating guides and even ran a small blog where they shared tips and tricks. Then she branched out.
Starting point is 02:53:20 Sharon started selling online ads. Then she branched out even further. She started dabbling in the world of the occult. Tarot readings, ORA readings, she charged people for online consultations. She was making decent money, and Victor was happy that she had a hobby. But what he didn't know was that Sharon wasn't just looking for business opportunities online. She was looking for something darker. The birth of Nancy Clarkson, at some point, Sharon discovered fetish.
Starting point is 02:53:47 websites. Places where people shared their deepest, darkest desires. And Sharon? She saw an opportunity. She created a new persona, Nancy Clarkson. Nancy was everything Sharon wasn't. Tall, thin, blonde, green-eyed. Sharon, in reality, was only four feet 11 inches, nearly 200 pounds, with dark hair and glasses. But online. Nancy was a fantasy. She started small. Selling you, used lingerie. Posting ads. Making money. Then she went further. She started selling homemade videos. VHS tapes. Custom content. And that's when she met Slow Hand. Slow Hand's true identity. Slow Hand wasn't just some random internet user. His real name was Robert Frederick Glass. Bobby, for short. Bobby was a 40-year-old computer programmer from North Carolina. He had a wife,
Starting point is 02:54:46 three kids and a stable job working for the government. On the surface, he was a regular guy. Quiet. A little nerdy. Obsessed with computers. But beneath the surface, something was very, very wrong. The double life of Bobby Glass. For years, Bobby had been leading a double life online. He spent hours on fetish forums. Created multiple personas, toy man, slow hand. He talked to women about things that most people wouldn't even dream of. His wife, Sherry, started to notice something was off. Bobby wasn't paying attention to her. Or their kids.
Starting point is 02:55:25 He spent all his free time in front of the computer. So one day, while he was at work, Sherry checked his emails. And what she found horrified her. Conversations about things no normal person would discuss. Emails to women about fantasies that should never be acted upon. In May 1996, she packed up her things. things, took the kids, and left Bobby alone with his computer. And that's when he found Sharon.
Starting point is 02:55:50 The fatal pact, Bobby and Sharon started talking. At first, it was just fantasy. Roll play. But then, it got serious. Sharon wasn't just pretending. She really wanted this. She wanted Bobby to be the one to do it. And Bobby?
Starting point is 02:56:08 He agreed. So Sharon left her home that October morning, got on a train, and met Bobby in person. That was the last time anyone saw her alive. Conclusion, the investigation and beyond, Victor, now panicked, handed over everything to the police. The note. The emails. The chat logs. It didn't take long for the authorities to trace everything back to Bobby Glass.
Starting point is 02:56:32 When they arrested him, they found Sharon's remains in his home. Bobby was sentenced, but he never served much time. Because in 2002, he died in prison. Nancy Clarkson. She was never real. But Sharon was. And her story? Well, let's just say it serves as a dark reminder of the dangers lurking in the corners of the internet. The end. This story begins in 1804 with the birth of a young man named William Carter in Postwick, Suffolk. William was one of the children of a wealthy farmer and his wife, and he had everything a boy could want. He was intelligent, eloquent, and had a sharp mind. However, he also had a love for
Starting point is 02:57:12 mischief, lying, cheating, and stealing. He had a particular weakness for women, especially those he couldn't have, engaged women, married women, and even pregnant women. William had a knack for getting their attention and making many of them his lovers. As time passed, William became more and more cunning. He even betrayed his own family on multiple occasions. He was rumored to have forged checks in his father's name and had a habit of stealing animals from neighboring farms.
Starting point is 02:57:40 He would jump over fences, steal the animals, and then sell them at the market. On one occasion, he even stole pigs from his own family and sold them to keep all the money for himself. Because of all his wrongdoings, the people of the village nicknamed him, Foxy, and no one trusted him. Some sources suggest that William didn't want the life he had. He dreamed of becoming a teacher or a journalist, but his father didn't support his ambitions. He didn't want to pay for his education or let him leave the farm.
Starting point is 02:58:08 So, William continued to lie in steel, and at one point, his family packed his bags and sent him to London to find an honest job. They thought if he didn't want to work on the farm, at least he could find something else to do, something that didn't require formal education. But once in London, William continued his life of crime and did whatever he wanted. Now, let's shift our attention to the woman who, according to rumors, was the great love of William's life, Mary Martin. Mary was born on July 24, 1801, in Suffolk, the daughter
Starting point is 02:58:38 of a mole-catcher and his first wife. When Mary was nine years old, her mother died, and her father remarried to a woman named in Martin, who was apparently younger than him. Mary was known for her beauty and intelligence. It was said that she had some education, knowing how to read and write, which was quite rare for women at the time. She stood out among other women because of her beauty, wit, and ability to hold a conversation. Men of that era were crazy about her. According to one journalist from the time, she had an excellent memory and a mind eager to acquire useful knowledge. There were many reasons to believe that if she had received proper education, she would have been an accomplished woman. However, there was one striking
Starting point is 02:59:18 thing about Mary, she had a reputation for being easily won over by men. She would fall in love quickly, and when she did, she gave herself completely to the man. Because of this, she found herself pregnant several times as a teenager. She had many suitors, including the brothers William and Thomas Corder. William, as we know, was younger than her, while Thomas was older, and Mary was drawn to him. He knew how to treat women and was skilled at courting them. Mary fell madly in love with him and believed everything, he said. At one point, she became pregnant by him. However, when she told him what had happened, not only did he refuse to marry her, but he also packed his bags and disappeared. Mary was left to face not
Starting point is 03:00:00 only the judgment of others but also a miscarriage, which many believed affected her deeply. Years later, at the age of 24, Mary started secretly seeing a landowner named Peter Matthews. The story repeated itself. Peter told her he loved her and that he wanted to marry her, and Mary once again gave herself fully to him. This relationship led to another pregnancy, but this time, the pregnancy went full term, and she gave birth to a son, Thomas Henry. But after the child was born, Peter vanished.
Starting point is 03:00:29 However, unlike the other men in her life, he didn't completely abandon her. He sent her a substantial allowance to ensure she didn't lack anything for herself and the child. At this point, Mary's reputation had suffered. She had been pregnant twice out of wedlock, and even though she was still beautiful and intelligent, no respectable man wanted to marry her. In this context, William Corder reappears in her life. While in London, William received a letter from his parents asking him to return home because his older brother, Thomas, had died in an accident.
Starting point is 03:01:01 The story went that Thomas had been walking across a frozen pond when the ice gave way beneath him, and he drowned. William reluctantly returned home, where several other misfortunes awaited him. His father passed away, his mother grew weak, and two of his siblings fell ill with tuberculosis. As a result, William was the only one left to work the farm. He took charge of the animals, selling them, raising them, and managing the business, which was now solely his. He stood to make a lot of money from it.
Starting point is 03:01:29 At this time, he crossed paths with Mary once again. Remembering the past, we recall that William and Thomas had both been in love with Mary, but it was Thomas who had won her heart. Now, without Thomas and Peter, William had a clear path to court her. He began to woo her, treating her kindly, and Mary once again fell for him. She became pregnant, and William promised that he would marry her. He even talked to his parents about the situation, promising that he would marry Mary. However, for her sake, he asked that the pregnancy remain a secret.
Starting point is 03:02:01 They agreed that no one, not even the neighbors, should know about it. When Mary gave birth, the baby died, and William, Mary, and her stepmother, Anne, gathered together at the Martin house. They wrapped the baby in a cloth, prayed, and then William took the tiny body to bury it. Now, two options lay before William. The first was to abandon Mary. She was no longer pregnant, and the child was dead, but marrying her would mean her would mean facing her tarnished reputation, which could hurt his business.
Starting point is 03:02:31 The second option was to marry her, and despite all the difficulties, William chose the second option. He promised Mary's family that he would marry her, but soon after, he learned something that could put his life in danger. The village constable had heard that Mary was pregnant again, and this third child would be another illegitimate one, something that was illegal at the time. Given her past, it was possible that Mary could be punished severely, including being publicly whipped, or even worse. In early 1827, William came up with a plan. He proposed that he and
Starting point is 03:03:02 Mary should run away together. He suggested they meet in the Red Barn, a barn located 800 meters from the Martin House. There, they would change clothes and leave for Ipswich, where they would get married and start a new life. The original date for their departure was set for Wednesday, May 16, but for some reason, William postponed it until Thursday, May 17th. On Thursday, he postponed it again to Friday. By the time Friday morning arrived, William went to the Martin house and demanded that Mary get dressed as soon as possible. He told her that he had heard the constable would arrest her that very day. William insisted that they leave immediately, and so, he forced Mary to wear men's clothing, a vest, a hat, a pair of trousers, and a green scarf,
Starting point is 03:03:45 and to run toward the red barn. He left the house, and a few minutes later, Mary followed. That was the last time anyone saw Mary alive. Weeks passed, and no one heard from the couple. Out of nowhere, the Martin family began receiving letters from the lovers. The first letter was from William, who claimed that they were very happy and had indeed gone to Ipswich, where they had married and were now living a wonderful life. But he explained that they couldn't return just yet because Mary was nervous about the potential backlash from the neighbors. Her anxiety kept her from wanting to come back.
Starting point is 03:04:17 This strange letter raised suspicions, and Mary's family wrote back, urging them to return. William responded, claiming that Mary was too ill to write herself and that they would return when she was feeling better. Time passed, but Mary never wrote, and so, the family sent another letter. This time, William wrote back claiming that Mary had actually written a letter, but the post office had lost it. He reassured them that everything was fine and that Mary would write when she was feeling better. At this point, Mary's stepmother, Anne, began having strange dreams. Every night, she would go to bed with a nagging feeling, and in April of a April of a day, 1828, she had vivid dreams of Mary's ghost. In these dreams, Mary appeared at the foot of her
Starting point is 03:04:59 bed and told her she was dead. She claimed that the love of her life, William, had killed her and that her body was buried in the Red Barn, and was terrified, unable to sleep without fear of seeing Mary's ghost again. On the morning of April 19th, unable to bear it any longer, she begged her husband to go to the Red Barn with a shovel to dig up the ground and see if the dream was true. At first, her husband refused, but seeing her desperation, he reluctantly agreed. After some time of digging, he found a sack buried beneath the earth. When he pulled it out, he discovered the decomposed body of a woman.
Starting point is 03:05:33 At first, the body was nearly unrecognizable, but the clothing matched what Mary had worn the last time she was seen alive, men's clothes and a green scarf. It was clear that this was Mary. Experts who examined the body found strange evidence. There was a deep hole in one of the eyes, possibly from a bullet, and there were cuts on various parts of the body. The scarf around her neck was very tight, suggesting that she had been strangled. All the evidence pointed to one person, William Carter.
Starting point is 03:06:02 The authorities immediately arrested him. They brought him to trial, where the jury unanimously convicted him of murder. William was sentenced to death by hanging, and on August 11, 1828, he was executed in front of a large crowd. He had never admitted to the crime, even at the end. The body of Mary Martin was exhumed and publicly displayed. which was an unusual punishment at the time. Her death caused shockwaves through the community,
Starting point is 03:06:27 and her name would be remembered for years to come. William Carter's story became one of the most infamous criminal cases in history, and he would forever be remembered as a killer who took the life of a woman who had loved him. In the heart of an ancient forest, where the trees whispered secrets older than the stars, a village thrived in quiet harmony. This was to Lindra, a place where magic coursed through the veins of the earth like an unseen river. The villagers lived simple lives, their days marked by the rhythms of the sun and moon,
Starting point is 03:06:54 yet their destinies were inextricably bound to the mystical forces that surrounded them. Among the villagers was Ira, a young woman whose curiosity often led her to the forest's edge. She was a tamer of whispers, as her grandmother called her, for she had a knack for understanding the subtle murmurs of the woods. Ira's hair, the color of autumn leaves, and her piercing green eyes made her stand out, but it was her adventurous spirit that truly set her apart. One fateful morning, as dawn painted the sky with hues of amber and rose, Ira ventured deeper into the forest than she ever had before.
Starting point is 03:07:26 Guided by a melody that seemed to float on the wind, she found herself standing before a towering oak with a hollow at its base. Inside the hollow rested a glowing crystal, pulsing with a light that mirrored the rhythm of her heartbeat. Ira reached out, her fingers grazing the crystal's surface. A surge of energy coursed through her, and in that moment, the world seemed to shift. The forest grew silent, the whispers replaced by a profound stillness. The crystal, now cooled to the touch, dimmed slightly, but remained in her hand.
Starting point is 03:07:56 It was then that she noticed the presence of another. You have awakened it, said a voice as smooth as flowing water. Ira turned to see a figure cloaked in shadows. Despite the obscurity, she could make out the glint of silver eyes and a faint aura that shimmered like moonlight. Awakened what? Ira asked, her voice steadied despite the unease prickling. her skin. The heart of Illoria, the figure replied. A relic of immense power, tied to the balance of this world. And now, its fate and yours, are intertwined. Before Ira could respond, the figure
Starting point is 03:08:30 vanished, leaving behind an air of mystery and a thousand unanswered questions. In the days that followed, Ira discovered that the crystal, the heart of Illoria, had bonded with her. It amplified her connection to the forest, allowing her to hear its whispers with startling clarity. But it also came with visions, fleeting images of a looming darkness threatening to engulf the land. Determined to uncover the truth, Ira sought the wisdom of her grandmother, Leara, the village's elder and keeper of ancient lore. Leara's eyes widened when she saw the crystal.
Starting point is 03:09:01 The heart has chosen you, she said, her voice tinged with both awe and worry. But such power is a beacon. Others will come for it, and for you. Leara revealed that the heart of Eloria was one of seven relics created by the ancient druids to safeguard the world. Each relic held a fragment of their immense power, ensuring the balance between light and shadow. But centuries ago, the relics had been scattered to prevent their misuse. Now, with the heart reawakened, the balance was shifting.
Starting point is 03:09:30 You must find the others, Leara urged. Only then can the relic's full power be restored to protect our world. Ira's journey began the next day. Armed with her courage, a satchel of provisions, and a map marked with her grandmother's guidance, she ventured beyond the safety of Tilindra. Her first destination was the misty veil, a region shrouded in perpetual fog where another relic was said to lie.
Starting point is 03:09:52 The road was treacherous, but Ira found unexpected allies along the way. First was Kale, a wandering swordsman with a past as shadowy as the forests they traversed. His skill with a blade was unmatched, and his wry humor often lightened the weight of their quest. Then there was Silris,
Starting point is 03:10:09 an enigmatic mage who seemed to know more about the relics than he let on. His magical prowess was a boon, though his motives remained a mystery. As they journeyed together, Ira learned the importance of trust and the strength found in unity. The trio faced countless trials, ambushes by bandits, the perils of crossing the frostfire peaks, and the lure of an enchanted lake that nearly claimed their lives. Yet with each challenge, their bond deepened, and Ira's understanding of her role grew. In the misty veil, they encountered the guardian of echoes, a spectral being tasked with protecting the relic hidden within.
Starting point is 03:10:42 The Guardian tested their resolve with illusions that preyed on their deepest fears. Ira's trial was the most harrowing, as she confronted a vision of her village consumed by darkness, her loved ones calling out for help she could not provide. But Ira's determination proved unyielding. She saw through the illusion, her connection to the heart of Illoria shining like a beacon. The Guardian, impressed by her resilience, relinquished the relic, a pendant imbued with the power of foresight. With two relics in their possession, Ira and her companions
Starting point is 03:11:12 pressed on, aware that their quest was far from over. Shadows stirred on the edges of their journey, and whispers of a dark force-gathering strength reached their ears. The relics, while powerful, were also a lure for those who sought to use their magic for nefarious purposes. As they traveled to their next destination, Ira reflected on how much she had changed. She was no longer the curious girl who wandered the forest, she was a guardian of ancient power, a beacon of hope in a world teetering on the brink of chaos.
Starting point is 03:11:39 Yet, she knew the path ahead would test her in ways she could not yet imagine. Their journey would take them to the ruins of Veldrous, the desert of whispers, and beyond. Each step brought them closer to the truth of the relics and the forces that sought to claim them. And as the stakes grew higher, so did Ira's resolve. She would not falter, for she carried not just the heart of Illoria but the hopes of all who believed in a brighter future. The whispers of the forest had led her to this destiny, and Ira vowed to see it through, no matter the cost. And so, according to Juan, the final stop, the 12th one, lasted about 20 seconds. It's believed that someone stepped out of the other vehicle, forcibly took the child,
Starting point is 03:12:19 and handed something over to Andres. Maybe it was drugs, or something else, with the condition that the boy would be returned once the package was delivered to a specific location. Let's start from the beginning. This story kicks off just after 6 a.m. on June 25, 1986, in Somaciera, Spain. A tanker truck carrying over 20,000 liters of oleum, a type of sulfuric acid, lost control and veered off the National One Highway. It was speeding downhill at 120 kilometers per hour, far exceeding the 90 kilometers per hour limit.
Starting point is 03:12:52 Other drivers couldn't understand why the truck's driver was taking such a dangerous descent without breaking at all. It seemed suicidal. Then came the moment of catastrophe. The tanker suddenly encountered three other trucks ahead. Instead of slowing down or proceeding cautiously, it attempted an overtake at a blind spot. That's when disaster struck, a head-on collision with another truck barreling toward it. This resulted in a horrific accident involving five trucks, with the tanker and its accompanying
Starting point is 03:13:20 vehicle at the center of the chaos. Despite the magnitude of the collision, there were only two fatalities, the tanker's driver and his passenger. Soon after the accident, panic ensued. A massive crowd gathered around the vehicle, shouting, and crying. This wasn't just any accident, the tanker carried sulfuric acid, which was now spilling everywhere. The corrosive liquid began eating through the mountain sides and flowed toward the Duriton River. The environmental stakes were high, if the acid reached the
Starting point is 03:13:50 river, it would contaminate the water. The Civil Guard quickly arrived, cordoned off the area, and got to work containing the spill. Meanwhile, rescue teams pulled the two bodies from the wreckage and identified them as Andres Martinez-Navarro and Carmen Gomez-Legas. A few hours later, the authorities informed their families of the tragic news. That's when Carmen's mother uttered something that puzzled everyone, please, tell me my grandson is okay. The officers were taken aback. What grandson?
Starting point is 03:14:19 Inside the tanker, only two bodies were found. There was no sign of a child. That simple question opened the door to one of the most perplexing mysteries in Spanish history, the case of the Somersiera boy. Backstory, a family's last journey. To piece together this mystery, let's rewind the couple of things. of months before the crash. Andres Martinez Navarro, aged 36, was a season truck driver who'd spent half his life on the road. His driving record was spotless, his employers valued him, and he always
Starting point is 03:14:47 adhered to route schedules and rest breaks. In April 1986, Andres invested heavily in his truck, a second-hand Volvo tanker, which he bought on installment for 5 million pacedas. He spent an additional 700,000 Pissetas refurbishing it, focusing on the gearbox and brakes. This would later prove to be critical information. Andres was married to Carmen Gomez-Legas, 34, a homemaker, and they had a single child, nine-year-old Juan Pedro Martinez Gomez. By all accounts, Juan Pedro was a remarkable kid. He was smart, responsible, polite, and excelled in school. He loved to travel and was fascinated by his father's work. He'd always begged to join Andres on his routes, especially those heading north. That June, with school out and won Pedro's stellar grades,
Starting point is 03:15:35 Andres decided to reward him. Andres have been hired to transport 23,000 liters of sulfuric acid to a petrochemical company in Bilbao. It was a work trip, but Andres planned to turn it into a mini vacation. The plan was to deliver the cargo and then enjoy a few days exploring Bilbao as a family. The journey begins. The family lived in Canova's, a village near Fuente Alamo in Mercia. set out on June 24, 1986. Andres loaded the tanker at a gas station in Cartagena, then returned home to pack. By 7 p.m., the family was on the road. Their itinerary included several scheduled stops.
Starting point is 03:16:14 At 9 p.m., they had dinner at Venta del Alivo in Sieza. Around midnight, they took a break at a gas station in Los Padroneras, Quenka. By 3 a.m., they reached Los Angeles gas station near Madrid, where they rested for about an hour. 4.13 a.m., they resumed their journey. Shortly after, they stopped briefly in San Augustine de Guadolix to discuss breakfast plans. Around 5.20 a.m., they made their last confirmed stop at the Aragon Inn in Cabinius de la Sierra, at the base of the Somaciera pass. This stop is crucial because it's the last time Juan Pedro was seen alive. The last sighting, the Aragon Inn was a popular rest stop for truckers, offering parking, a small diner,
Starting point is 03:16:56 and nearby gas pumps. Felipe Alambra, the waiter on duty, vividly remembered the family. They arrived around 5.30 a.m. Andres ordered a black coffee, Carmen a coffee with milk, and Juan Pedro had milk with a bayoniza, a type of pastry. Alambra noted that the boy was dressed entirely in red and that it was unusual to see a family traveling in a tanker truck. They stayed for about 20 minutes before leaving. Alambra glanced out the window as they drove off and saw the tanker pulling away. Everything seemed normal, until it wasn't.
Starting point is 03:17:27 12 stops to disaster. After leaving the Aragon in, things got strange. The truck's tachograph, a device that record speed and stops, revealed 12 unexplained stops during the ascent up the Somaciera Pass. The road was clear, the weather fine, and there was no logical reason for such frequent halts. Each stop lasted only two to three seconds, except for the final one, which lasted a full 20 seconds. Transport experts were baffled. Even season drivers couldn't explain why a loaded tanker would stop so often on such a short stretch. Some theorized that the stops might reflect double clutching or deer adjustments, but these actions wouldn't register as full stops on a tachograph. Something unusual was happening. At 6.40 a.m.,
Starting point is 03:18:12 disaster struck. The truck, now descending the Somersiera Pass, inexplicably accelerated. It reached a reckless speed of 120 kilometers per hour on a road filled with sharp curves. Witnesses reported that Andrace didn't even try to break. Instead, he attempted a dangerous overtake and collided head-on with another truck. The crash was catastrophic. The tanker's cabin was crushed, and the sulfuric acid spilled everywhere, causing environmental havoc. Andrace and Carmen were killed instantly. But Juan Pedro.
Starting point is 03:18:45 He was nowhere to be found. Where was Juan Pedro? Investigators found no trace of the boy inside the wreckage. The cabin, where he'd supposedly been sitting, was so mangled that it seemed impossible for anyone to survive. Adding to the mystery, sulfuric acid is highly corrosive. Some suggested that the acid might have completely dissolved Juan Pedro's body. However, forensic experts later debunked this theory. Experiments showed that while sulfuric acid could destroy muscle and cartilage within 24 hours, it took 48 hours to dissolve bones completely. Juan Pedro wouldn't
Starting point is 03:19:19 have been exposed long enough for his body to vanish entirely. Theories and speculation. Over the years, countless theories have emerged to explain Juan Pedro's disappearance. Here are some of the most compelling. One, ejected from the truck, some believe Juan Pedro was thrown from the truck during the crash. Perhaps he landed in nearby bushes or a ravine. But this theory falls apart when you consider the extensive searches conducted in the area. Police, rescue teams, and volunteers scoured every inch of the sight and found nothing. Two, he ran away. Another idea is that Juan Pedro might have fled the scene. Maybe he argued with his parents and decided to run off. But this doesn't align with the
Starting point is 03:20:00 facts. If he had escaped, why were his parents driving recklessly downhill at 120 kilometers per hour? Surely they would have stopped to look for him. Here's how those who knew the alleged killer describe him, a quiet, shy young man with an intense interest in martial arts and video games. Some even suggested he bore a striking resemblance to the protagonist of a popular video game, raising the possibility that he might have modeled his deadly actions after the game's narrative. It all began on the afternoon of Saturday, April 1st, 2000, at around 5 p.m. The police were called to a house at 20, Santa Rosa Street in Santiago L. Mayor, a neighborhood in Mercia, Spain. They had received a bizarre call that prompted them to investigate. What they found
Starting point is 03:20:43 inside was one of the most horrifying crime scenes in Spain's history, three members of the same family had been brutally murdered with a katana and a machete. The house was soaked in blood, and the weapons were left behind. The eldest son of the family, however, was nowhere to be found. His image was quickly disseminated across media outlets, appearing on television, posters, and newspapers. It would take several days before anyone managed to locate him, marking the beginning of the infamous Katana killer case. Jose Robidon Pardo, born on December 26, 1983, was the first child of Mercedes Pardo, 54, and Raphael Robidon, 51. The family was middle class and well-regarded in their neighborhood as friendly and hardworking.
Starting point is 03:21:27 From an early age, Jose was known to be shy and introverted, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He greeted neighbors with a smile, didn't stay out late, and rarely drank alcohol. Although he had recently taken up smoking, it wasn't something he did often. Jose's academic performance was unremarkable, but he had a passion for computers, video games, and martial arts, interests that would later take on an ominous significance. When Jose was eight years old, his younger sister, Maria Mercedes, was born. She had Down syndrome, which some sources say created tension in the family. Some accounts claim that Raphael saw his daughter's condition as a divine punishment,
Starting point is 03:22:05 while others described the family as accepting and normal. Regardless, neighbors and relatives recalled that both children were doted upon. Whatever they wanted, their parents provided. At the age of ten, Jose expressed an interest in martial arts, and his father readily agreed. Thanks to Raphael's job as a truck driver, the family's financial situation was stable. They ensured that their children never lacked anything. Jose had the latest computer, a fast internet connection, a PlayStation, gym memberships, weekly pocket money, and a peculiar collection of items like machetes, ninja stars, and brass knuckles.
Starting point is 03:22:41 However, he never used these weapons and was known to be peaceful and mild-mannered. In late 1999, Jose asked his father for a Japanese katana, despite his mother's firm opposition to the idea. Mercedes disapproved of Jose's collection, finding it unsettling. However, Raphael, seeing no harm in indulging his son's request, bought the katana. Jose was well-behaved, tidy, and responsible, so his son, father didn't think twice. Notably, both parents tended to spoil their children. Mercedes, for instance, often allowed Jose to have dinner alone in his room so he could keep playing games or chatting with friends online. She would even prepare his meals and
Starting point is 03:23:20 deliver them to his room. Moreover, she hid the skyrocketing phone bills, which had reached 100,000 pesetas, from her husband. Jose's obsession with gaming and online chatting had turned into a financial burden. Despite this, there were no apparent issues. Jose and his sister were polite and responsible. However, things began to change dramatically. Seemingly overnight, Jose lost interest in school, started failing his classes, and eventually dropped out during the 1999-2,000 school year. His father, concerned, enrolled him in a vocational welding program, which Jose loathed.
Starting point is 03:23:56 Feeling trapped and unmotivated, he began to fantasize about escaping and starting anew. A few weeks before the murders, Jose meticulously planned his actions. His motives were not rooted in hatred or revenge against his family. Instead, he viewed them as obstacles to his freedom, a belief that without them, he could truly be free. On the night of March 31st, Jose acted as though everything was normal. After eating dinner his mother had prepared and brought to his room, he gamed and chatted online before going to bed. Clutching his katana, he lay awake for hours, envisioning the perfect crime. When the first rays of sunlight pierced the clouds at 6.30 a.m. on April 1st, he rose from
Starting point is 03:24:36 bed, katana in hand, and entered his parents' room. Jose first attacked his father, delivering 13 blows, two to the head and the rest to the neck and chest. Raphael attempted to defend himself but sustained multiple injuries, including the amputation of several fingers. Once his father was dead, Jose moved to his sister's room, where he encountered his mother. Upon seeing her blood-soaked son wielding a katana, Mercedes. screamed and tried to wake Raphael. Realizing her husband was already dead, she turned to Jose, but he struck her until the katana broke. Jose then retrieved a machete from his room to finish the job. After the killings, Jose methodically cleaned himself, changed clothes, and tried to
Starting point is 03:25:17 conceal the crime scene. He placed plastic bags over the victim's heads to contain any smell and carried their bodies to the bathroom. He filled the bathtub with water and submerged his sister's body, believing this would slow decomposition and prevent odors from spreading. He left his father's body near the bathroom, as it was too heavy to move. He then put on fresh clothes over his blood-stained underwear, grabbed his phone, 15,000 pacedas, and left the house, leaving the door unlocked. He had no intention of ever returning. Once outside, Jose did something astonishing, he called the police.
Starting point is 03:25:51 He briefly told them what had happened before hanging up. Then, he set out on a journey to Barcelona to meet Sonia, a girl he had met online. Sonia lived in Barcelona, and Jose was infatuated with her. Some sources claim they were just friends, while others suggest they were romantically involved. Either way, he was desperate to impress her, boasting about his martial arts skills, his collection of weapons, and his adventurous spirit. Jose hitched his way out of Mercia. Along the way, he called Sonia multiple times, confessing to the murders, though she didn't believe him.
Starting point is 03:26:25 Several drivers gave Jose a ride during his journey, including a car sales an Italian truck driver, and Annamaria Acosta, an off-duty municipal agent. Anna Maria found Jose's behavior peculiar. Though polite and well-dressed, he seemed nervous and distant. She assumed he was just a teenager returning from a wild night out. After dropping him off in Alicante, Jose wandered aimlessly until he met Oliver Jimenez. Oliver, a boy of Jose's age, came from a troubled background. Living in a shack with his grandmother, Oliver's father was in prison, and his mother was in
Starting point is 03:26:59 psychiatric hospital. When Jose asked for directions to the train station, Oliver immediately offered to help. The two quickly bonded, spending the next two days together. Jose confessed to Oliver that he had killed someone, even showing him his bloodstained shirt. Oliver, seeing Jose as a kindred spirit, decided to help him. He built a fire to burn the evidence and became Jose's close companion. The boys continued their journey, calling Sonia frequently from public payphones. Sonia introduced them to her friend Sheila, who got along well with Oliver. However, Sonia eventually told Sheila about Jose's crime, and Sheila contacted the police. Meanwhile, the investigation in Mercia was in full swing. The police had discovered the crime
Starting point is 03:27:43 scene on April 1st and were baffled by the brutality. Neighbors described the family as normal and Jose as quiet, making the crime even more shocking. Media coverage sensationalized the case. Reports exaggerated Jose's interest in weapons and satanic literature. Two books found in his collection, Ave Lucifer and the Power of Magic, fueled speculation that he was part of a satanic cult. His online alias, Odom, Fear, spelled backward, only added to the hysteria. The press also highlighted his fascination with the video game Final Fantasy 8, drawing parallels
Starting point is 03:28:17 between Jose and the. This story begins with two brothers from a small village in Spain who, on the night of Sunday, August 26, 1990, decided to embark on a hunt. However, this was no ordinary hunting trip. Rather than hunting wild animals like rabbits or birds, they intended to hunt human beings. The village they came from, Portoarocco, was a small rural community with a population of just 100 people, a place where everyone knew each other and many were related by blood. But the brothers' motives for what would become a horrific event were rooted in a deep-seated family feud that had been simmering for generations.
Starting point is 03:28:51 The origins of this deadly rivalry trace back to the 19th century, although there are no definitive records to confirm this. What we do know is that Porta O'Raco was a tight-knit village, isolated from the surrounding areas by a few kilometers of rugged terrain. The population in Puerto Araco was always small, around 75 people in the colder months and slightly more in the summer. The small size of the village meant that everyone was familiar with one another, and it wasn't uncommon for families to be intertwined through relationships spanning generations.
Starting point is 03:29:21 These close connections extended beyond family, as many of the villagers worked the land, raising olive trees, pigs, and sheep. However, two families, the Cabinius and the Ischirdo, stood out for their rivalry, one that had been ongoing for decades. This rivalry wasn't just about land or resources, it was deeply personal. The two families constantly clashed over territorial disputes, with accusations and insults exchanged frequently. But in the 1960s, there seemed to be a temporary truce when two members of these feuding families, Luciana Isquiredo and Amadeo Cabinius, reportedly fell in love. However, there are conflicting stories about the nature of their relationship. One version suggests that Luciana, who was ten years older than Amadeo, pursued him relentlessly,
Starting point is 03:30:07 but he never returned her affections. Another version claims they were deeply in love, but just weeks before their wedding, Amadeo suddenly called it off. The most widely accepted version, however, is that they were indeed a couple, but their relationship fell apart when Amadeo, in a moment of frustration, crossed into Isquierdo family land with his plow. This act sparked a violent confrontation, and after a series of arguments and threats, Amadeo ended things with Luciana, breaking her heart. This heartbreak led Luciana's brother, Geronimo Isquierdo, to take matters into his own hands. On January 22, 1967, in a fit of rage and revenge,
Starting point is 03:30:44 Geronimo went to Amadeo's home and murdered him with a knife. Amadeo's last words were to reveal that Geronimo was his killer. The crime sent shockwaves through the small village, and Geronimo was quickly arrested and sentenced to 27 years in prison. However, he only served 14 years before being released. After his release, tensions between the two families escalated once again, and the Isquierdo family, feeling ostracized by the village, was forced to leave Porto-Iraucco.
Starting point is 03:31:11 They moved to a small house in Monterebio de la Serena, a town 12 kilometers away, where they lived in isolation. But the troubles for the Isquiredo family didn't end there. On October 18, 1984, an accidental fire claimed the life of their mother, Isabel Isquiredo. Some believed it was an accident, but other suspected foul play. The Isquiredo family believed that the fire was deliberately set by the Cabinius family, particularly by Antonio, the brother of the late Amadeo. They also believed that the entire village was complicit in the act, as no one came to help them during the fire, and the authorities seemed to brush off the incident. The conspiracy theories surrounding the fire were fueled by the fact that the police didn't investigate the matter further, which deepened the Isquierdo family's mistrust of everyone around them.
Starting point is 03:31:58 As a result, the Isquieto family began to isolate themselves even further, convinced that the world was out to get them. The more time passed, the more paranoid they became. Luciana and her sister Angela became increasingly erratic, and their behavior grew more and more bizarre. They believed that the entire village was conspiring against them, poisoning their water, spying on them, and sabotaging their lives in every possible way. This led them to become obsessed with the idea of revenge, with Luciana and Angela urging their two remaining brothers, Emilio and Antonio, to take action. Emilio and Antonio, now in their 50s, had long been raised in this toxic atmosphere of hatred
Starting point is 03:32:36 in suspicion. They were expert hunters, and on the night of August 26, 1990, they set out to carry out their deadly plan. This was no ordinary hunting trip. The brothers were armed with two 12-gauge shotguns and over 200 rounds of ammunition. They set off towards Porto-Iraucco with one goal in mind, to take out as many of their neighbors as possible. They knew the rhythms of the village well, and when the evening came, they positioned themselves in a strategic location and began shooting. Their targets were clear, Above all, they wanted to eliminate the Cabinius family. At around 10.30 p.m., the brothers opened fire on two of Antonio Cabinias' daughters,
Starting point is 03:33:15 both young teenagers. They were mercilessly gunned down in the street. The chaos spread as more shots rang out, hitting other members of the Cabanius family and even innocent bystanders. A young boy, Guillermo Ojeda, was shot in the head, while his sister, Elizabeth, threw herself over him to protect him. Their father, Andres O'Houheda, was also shot as he tried to come to their aid. The shooting continued as the brothers moved through the village, attacking anyone
Starting point is 03:33:41 they came across. The small, peaceful community was in a state of panic as people scrambled to find shelter. As the night unfolded, the Ischirdo brothers showed no signs of stopping. They fired at cars trying to escape the village, killing two people and injuring others. Meanwhile, the local police were notified and sent a small patrol to investigate the situation. However, the officers were ambushed by the brothers, and although they saw them, they saw them, survived, they were seriously injured. This prompted a larger law enforcement response, and the police began to take the situation more seriously. The next day, the brothers were still convinced they had succeeded in their mission. They believed they had killed nearly 20 people,
Starting point is 03:34:21 though in reality, they had killed nine and injured several others. But their thirst for vengeance didn't end there. They planned to continue their killing spree, waiting for the funerals to take place before emerging from hiding and finishing what they had started. But the authorities were hot on their trail. Over 200 police officers, supported by helicopters, conducted a massive manhunt to find the brothers. After several days, they were finally apprehended, caught hiding under an olive tree, exhausted and unaware of the approaching law enforcement. When they were caught, the Ischirdo brothers made chilling statements about their intentions. They declared that they had acted out of revenge for the suffering they believed they had endured at the hands
Starting point is 03:35:01 of the people of Porto-Irauc. The brothers' words sent shockwaves through the country, and everyone was left stunned by the brutality of their actions. Luciana and Angela Ischirdo, who had been instrumental in inciting the violence, were soon arrested as well. The sisters, however, showed no remorse. They continued to maintain their belief that the entire village was guilty of plotting against their family. The trial that followed in 1994 was a spectacle of its own. The defendants were met with hostility and threats, and no lawyer wanted to represent them for fear of retribution from the public. The courtroom was tense, with the brothers frequently losing their temper and lashing out during proceedings.
Starting point is 03:35:40 The trial itself was a farce, and many people in the village of Porta Araco believed that the true masterminds behind the massacre were Luciana and Angela, not Emilio and Antonio. Luciana, known for her cold demeanor, was widely regarded as the true villain of the story, and people were outraged by her continued support for her brothers despite the carnage they had caused. In the end, the court was unable to prove the sister's involvement in the massacre, but the damage was done. The small village of Porta O'Raco would never be the same again. The massacre in Porta O'Raco remains one of the most shocking and tragic events in Spain's history. It was a tale of vengeance, paranoia, and a long-brewing feud that turned deadly.
Starting point is 03:36:20 The incident left an indelible mark on the community, and the repercussions of that fateful night are still felt today. The events that transpired in Porta O'Raco serve as a chilling reminder of how far hatred and resentment can push individuals to the brink of insanity, leading to unspeakable acts of violence. It was supposed to be a regular solo camping trip, just me, my gear, and the untamed wilderness. I'd done it a dozen times before, pitching my tent in the middle of nowhere, far from people, cell signal, and the chaos of everyday life. This time, though, something felt different. Not at first, mind you. But soon enough, the forest revealed its darker side.
Starting point is 03:36:59 The trip started like any other. I drove out early in the morning, the rising sun casting golden light over the quiet countryside. The destination A remote patch of forest tucked away from the main roads It wasn't on any official map I'd stumbled across it last year while hiking Tall trees towered overhead
Starting point is 03:37:18 Their leaves forming a green canopy That barely let the sunlight through Perfect for solitude, I thought I parked my car at the end of a dirt road and hiked in for about three miles the sound of crunching leaves and chirping birds keeping me company The air smelled earthy, clean
Starting point is 03:37:34 It felt good to be away from the constant buzz of notifications and the pressure of city life. I found a flat clearing by a small creek and set up my tent. It was peaceful, almost too peaceful. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the forest had fallen into an eerie silence. I built a small fire and sat beside it, staring into the flames as they danced and crackled. Normally, I found this part calming. But that night, an unshakable feeling of being watched nod at me. I brushed it off as paranoia, after all, I was alone. Who would be out here?
Starting point is 03:38:09 The first strange occurrence happened around midnight. I'd crawled into my sleeping bag and was drifting off when I heard it, a faint rustling outside the tent. My heart thudded in my chest as I listened closely. Probably just a raccoon or some other small critter, I told myself. Still, I unzipped the tent just enough to peek out with my flashlight. The beam of light cut through the darkness, revealing, nothing. No glowing eyes, no movement. Just trees and shadows.
Starting point is 03:38:38 I zipped the tent back up, but sleep didn't come easily. The rustling stopped, but the uneasy feeling lingered. The next day, I decided to explore the area. Maybe walking around would shake off the nerves. The forest was dense, with trails made more by wandering deer than people. As I ventured farther from my campsite, I stumbled upon something odd. In a small clearing, there were sticks arranged in strange patterns on the ground. triangles, triangles, and other shapes that didn't seem random.
Starting point is 03:39:08 It looked deliberate, almost ritualistic. I laughed nervously, convincing myself it was just the work of some board hikers. Still, it creeped me out enough to turn back. When I returned to camp, things felt, off. My gear was untouched, but it was like the forest itself had shifted. The air felt heavier, the silence deeper. Even the creek seemed quieter, as if the forest was holding its breath. night, the rustling returned, louder this time.
Starting point is 03:39:36 It sounded closer, circling the tent. My pulse quickened as I clutched the flashlight, too scared to unzip the tent this time. Whatever it was didn't seem like a small animal anymore. It moved deliberately, with heavy steps that stopped and started, almost like it wanted me to know it was there. I barely slept. By morning, I was exhausted but determined to stick it out. I wasn't about to let some overactive imagination ruin my trip.
Starting point is 03:40:02 But as I packed up some snacks for another hike, I noticed something that froze me in my tracks. Around the campsite, there were footprints. Not shoe prints, bare feet. And they weren't mine. Panic set in. Was someone messing with me? Or worse, had someone been watching me all along. I shouted into the trees, demanding whoever it was to show themselves.
Starting point is 03:40:26 Nothing. Just my own voice echoing back. My brain told me to leave, but my stubbornness won out. I wasn't going to let fear drive me out. That day, I stuck close to the camp, keeping my hatchet within arm's reach. The hours dragged by, the sun crawling across the sky. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig set my nerves on edge. By the time night fell, I was a bundle of anxiety.
Starting point is 03:40:52 I'd fortified the tent as best as I could, piling rocks and sticks around it. It wasn't much, but it made me feel slightly better. The noises started again around midnight, but this time they were different. It wasn't just rustling, there was whispering. Faint, almost inaudible, but unmistakably human. My blood ran cold as I strained to make out the words. They were garbled, like a language I didn't understand. The whispers grew louder, coming from all around the tent.
Starting point is 03:41:21 I grabbed the hatchet and my flashlight, heart pounding. I burst out of the tent, shining the light wildly into the trees. Who's there? I shouted, my voice cracking. The forest answered with silence. No whispers, no movement. Just the sound of my own ragged breathing. Then I saw it.
Starting point is 03:41:41 About twenty feet away, partially obscured by the trees, was a figure. It stood perfectly still, watching me. The flashlight beam barely illuminated it, but I could tell it was tall, with long limbs and, no clothes. Just pale skin that almost glowed in the darkness. My mouth went dry as I stumbled backward, tripping over the tent. Stay back. I screamed, raising the hatchet.
Starting point is 03:42:06 The figure didn't move. It just stood there, unblinking, as if it were waiting for something. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it melted back into the shadows. I didn't sleep at all that night. As soon as dawn broke, I packed up my gear and hiked out of there as fast as I could. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves made me jump. I didn't stop until I reached my car, heart racing, and lungs burning. To this day, I have no idea what I saw or experienced in that forest.
Starting point is 03:42:35 Was it just my imagination, fueled by isolation and fear? Or was there really someone, or something, out there, watching me? All I know is that I haven't been back to that spot since. And I don't think I ever will. The state security forces had put out an urgent call for citizen collaboration, and naturally, the media jumped on it, amplifying the message. As part of the frenzy, a live call came in from someone claiming to have identified the person depicted in the composite sketch.
Starting point is 03:43:04 Good evening, the caller began. I saw him on Thursday on the Metro. He had a tiny hoop earring in one of his ears. At first glance, the idea of citizen collaboration seemed promising. After all, the more eyes on the lookout, the better, right? But things spiraled out of control fast. Over 2,000 people called in, some accusing neighbors they didn't like, others' pointing fingers at people who owed the money, and then, of course, there were the pranksters.
Starting point is 03:43:32 Despite all these calls, none led anywhere useful. The media even aired interviews with supposed witnesses, but the stories were incoherent, full of holes, and utterly unreliable. Then came March 18, 2003. At 8.45 p.m., the Guardia Civil received yet another call, but this time, it turned everything upside down. On a dirt path near the Arganda del Rey train station, two lifeless bodies were discovered, those of married couple Georgie and Doina Magda, both 40 years old.
Starting point is 03:44:02 According to some sources, the couple was returning home from work when the killer struck. Georgie was shot in the head first, execution style, while Doina was shot multiple times. She died on the scene, though some reports claim she lingered for two agonizing days before succumbing to her injuries. What made this scene even more chilling was the discovery of two playing cards left behind, the three of Cups and the four of Cups. Until that point, the investigation had been handled by the national police. But now the Guardia Civil joined forces with them. The case became a national emergency, this killer had to be caught, and fast.
Starting point is 03:44:37 Ballistic analysis linked the bullets from this crime scene to previous murders. Same gun, same ammunition, same modus operandi. Authorities scoured records for all legally registered Tokarev pistols in Spain. The search yielded only 49 results. But here came the next snag, none of these firearms matched the. murder weapon. This meant one thing, the Talker FTT 33 had entered Spain illegally. Profiling the killer, investigators began piecing together the profile of the murderer. This individual was likely a member of the military or law enforcement, someone with weapons training, possibly with
Starting point is 03:45:14 ties to the Balkans. The randomness of the victims and the lack of a clear geographic pattern suggested the killer might be suffering from a psychological disorder. A request was made for a list of all military personnel who had been treated for mental health issues. Initially, the list contained 100 names. When expanded to include those who had served in the Balkans, the list grew to 3,000. After further filtering, one name stood out, Francisco Javier Antonano del Toro, also known as Fishage. At the time, Fishage was a 25-year-old former paratrooper who had served in Bosnia and Kosovo. Known for his difficult and explosive personality, he also had ties to far-right groups and ultra-sur, a notorious faction of Real Madrid hooligans. At the time, he worked as a nightclub
Starting point is 03:46:00 bouncer in Alcala de Hineries, making him geographically plausible as the killer. Investigators gathered photos and presented one to Teresa Sanchez, the owner of Barr Rojas. Teresa had been deeply traumatized by her encounter with the killer and wasn't entirely sure, but she thought she recognized Fishage as the man responsible. Based on her shaky identification, he was arrested. However, the investigative team later admitted in interviews that they didn't believe Fishage was the real killer. Political pressure seemed to play a role in the arrest. With elections looming in May, authorities were desperate to solve the case and reassure
Starting point is 03:46:34 the public. But lacking solid evidence, Antonano del Toro was eventually released. A break in the case, months of silence followed. There were no new crimes, no fresh leads. Then, on the evening of July 3, 2003, a heavily intoxicated man was, walked into a police station in Portolano, see you dad real, and declared, I'm the playing card killer, and I'm tired of the police's incompetence. Initially, everyone thought it was a drunken rant.
Starting point is 03:47:01 But as the man began to share details about the crimes, the officers started paying attention. He revealed information that had never been made public, like the fact that each playing card left at the crime scenes had a small blue dot on it. He described each crime scene in detail, how the bodies were positioned, the trajectories of the gunshots. The man also revealed that, although he was in Portalano at the time, he actually lived in Alcala de Hineries. His brother lived in Portalano, which explained his presence there. Searches were conducted at both locations. In Portalano, officers found a bullet casing that matched one from the January 24th crime scene. In Alcala de Hineries, they uncovered a treasure
Starting point is 03:47:41 trove of evidence, two decks of playing cards, with specific cards missing, newspaper clippings about the playing card killer and clothing with gunpowder residue. However, the murder weapon was missing. The man admitted he had sold it to an unknown buyer before turning himself in. Who was Alfredo Galan Sotillo? The man's name was Alfredo Galan Sotillo, born on April 5, 1978, in Portolano, Spain. He grew up in a stable household and attended the Menendez Palaiso School. By all accounts, his childhood was unremarkable until tragedy struck when he was eight.
Starting point is 03:48:16 His mother died while giving birth to his younger sister. The loss deeply affected Alfredo, who became introverted and emotionally distant. In high school, Alfredo wanted to be popular, but his attempts to be the class clown or the troublemaker often went unnoticed. Teachers described him as unremarkable, he didn't excel academically and wasn't particularly motivated. He had a volatile temper, though, and would occasionally explode in fits of rage, only to calm down quickly afterward.
Starting point is 03:48:43 Eventually, Alfredo dropped out of school and joined the military at 20. He served in the paratrooper brigade and was deployed to Bosnia twice for humanitarian missions. The horrors of war left a mark on him, as they did on many soldiers. Alfredo witnessed unspeakable violence and death, experiences that seemed to harden his already cold demeanor. During one of his missions, he acquired a Tokarev-T-T, 33 pistol, and 200 cartridges for 50 euros. Knowing it would be illegal to bring the weapon into Spain, He smuggled it in by hiding it inside a VCR. Despite his military career, Alfredo struggled to advance.
Starting point is 03:49:20 He failed exams to rise above the rank of corporal and was later rejected when he tried to join the Guardia Civil. Frustrated, he began to unravel. The breaking point. In late 2002, Alfredo was supposed to go on leave after returning from a mission. But when the prestige oil spill disaster struck, he was called to help with the cleanup in Galicia instead. This last-minute change infuriated. him. His temper flared during a roadside checkpoint when a driver didn't stop immediately. Alfredo forcibly removed her from her car, got in, and started the engine.
Starting point is 03:49:53 His superiors deemed this behavior unacceptable and ordered a psychological evaluation. Diagnosed with neurosis and anxiety, Alfredo was hospitalized. Doctors also noted his growing alcohol problem, which was incompatible with the medication he was prescribed. His family intervened, insisting he'd be released for Christmas, promising to monitor him closely. Against better judgment, the hospital agreed, and Alfredo was discharged on December 22, 2002. His behavior during the holidays was alarming. He attended Christmas dinner with a gun visibly tucked into his waistband, even pretending to shoot family members. On another occasion, he recklessly sped down a road with his brother in the car,
Starting point is 03:50:34 refusing to slow down even when stopped by the Guardia Civil. Although warned, he wasn't given a breathalyzer test and was let go. By early 2003, Alfredo's mental state had deteriorated further. He left the military and took a job as a security guard at Barajas Airport. This was when the murders began. The trial, after his arrest in July 2003, Alfredo Galan spent two years in pretrial detention. Forensic psychologists found him to be utterly devoid of empathy, describing him as cold and unfeeling. He reportedly killed simply to see what it felt like, continuing because he felt nothing after the first murder.
Starting point is 03:51:11 The trial began on January 7, 2005, one of the most sensational in Spain's history. Alfredo often wore a cap pulled low over his face, avoiding eye contact. The widow of his first victim testified about the trauma her son endured, but Alfredo remained emotionless. Teresa Sanchez testified via video link, and again, he showed no reaction. When it was his turn to speak, he shocked everyone by retracting his confession. He claimed a neo-Nazi had committed the murders and had threatened to kill the his family if Alfredo didn't take the blame. His defense was unconvincing, and the evidence
Starting point is 03:51:46 against him was overwhelming. Sentenced to 142 years in prison, Alfredo Golan became eligible for parole after serving 25 years, as per Spanish law at the time. This sparked a debate, could a man like him ever be rehabilitated, or would he kill again if released? The fallout, Alfredo's case raised serious questions about the military screening processes. How could someone with clear psychological issues and a propensity for violence be allowed to serve. Critics argued that the state bore some responsibility for creating a killer. So, what do you think? Can someone like Alfredo Golan be rehabilitated, or is he beyond redemption?
Starting point is 03:52:23 The night that changed everything, July 1st, 1996, started like any other summer night in Denton, Texas. The college town buzzed with energy, its bars and clubs alive with music and laughter. For two friends, it was just another night of. out, grabbing drinks, hitting a few spots, and enjoying the carefree vibes that the city's nightlife offered. But what began as an ordinary evening quickly took a sinister turn, leaving questions that remain unanswered to this day. They started their night at a local bar, sharing a few drinks before wandering to another spot. By the time they stumbled out of the Red Derby, their final stop of the night, their lives were about to collide with a nightmare.
Starting point is 03:53:02 Right outside, they witnessed a scene so chilling it's haunted them ever since. Every night in that area, a cheerful woman sold flowers to passers-by. She was a beloved fixture of the neighborhood. Friendly, vibrant, and full of life, she was well-known and well-liked by everyone who crossed her path. That night was no different. She moved through the crowd, singing and chatting as she sold her flowers. But then, suddenly, everything changed. A truck pulled up out of nowhere, and a tall man stepped out, shouting. The two friends heard voices rise, a scuffle, and then what sounded like a gunshot. Before they could process what was happening, the man grabbed the flower cellar and forced her into the truck. Everything happened so fast, and the pair,
Starting point is 03:53:46 though shaken, were not in the best condition to recall every detail. Some accounts claim they were heavily intoxicated, others suggest they weren't, but the confusion of the moment was undeniable. Still, one of them managed to memorize the truck's license plate and immediately ran to a nearby payphone to call the police. But what should have triggered a full-scale investigation barely made a ripple. When officers arrived at the scene, it was clear they weren't taking it seriously. They dismissed the story, chalking it up to drunken imagination or a domestic dispute gone wrong. No notes were taken, and no action was pursued. Even as one witness insisted that the woman taken was Diana Goldston, the beloved flower cellar who'd never harmed
Starting point is 03:54:27 anyone, the police brushed it off. The witness recited the license plate number, but the officers remained unconvinced. To them, it wasn't a kidnapping. There was no crime to investigate. Who was Diana Goldston? Diana Goldston, full name Diana Louise Goldston, was born in Texas in 1960. She was known for her warm personality and kind spirit. But beyond that, little was known about her. Her mother, Rita Goldston, raised her, but details about her father or any siblings remain unknown.
Starting point is 03:55:00 Diana lived a busy life, juggling multiple jobs. She worked as a photographer, sold flowers on the weekends, and even had a part-time gig at the Red Derby bar. Ironically, it was the parking lot of this very bar where she was last seen. The police eventually pieced together a few more details. Diana's life was uncomplicated. She wasn't someone who got involved in drama or trouble. Everyone who knew her, whether friends, neighbors, or casual acquaintances, spoke highly of her.
Starting point is 03:55:29 But that only made her sudden disappearance all the more baffling. Finally, the police decided to trace the license plate number provided by the witness. It led them to a woman named Carrie Griffin, whose name raised no red flags. She had no criminal record, and by all appearances, she was an ordinary person. But her ex-husband? That was a different story. A dangerous connection. Carrie's ex-husband, James Robert Griffin, was far from ordinary.
Starting point is 03:55:56 He had a criminal record and a reputation as a dangerous man. At the time of the incident, he was out on parole. This revelation turned the investigation on its head, and on July 2, police visited Carrie's home. Carrie greeted the officers and seemed cooperative at first. She explained that while the truck was registered in her name, it had been handed over to Robert as part of their divorce settlement. The truck was his now, she said. When asked about the night of July 1st, Carrie hesitated before recounting a troubling story.
Starting point is 03:56:27 She said Robert and another woman had knocked on her door late that night, asking for help. The truck, they claimed, was stuck in a swampy area near a lake. Carey couldn't help them, so Robert turned to a neighbor, Ronald Henry, for assistance. Carrie added a chilling detail, the woman with Robert that night matched Diana Goldston's description. When shown a photo of Diana, Carrie confirmed it was her. A twisted theory, as the investigation unfolded, the police began spinning their own narrative. They theorized that Diana might have been having an affair with Robert and that her boyfriend discovered it, leading to a heated argument. This, they suggested, could explain why Diana left with Robert willingly.
Starting point is 03:57:06 But Diana's mother, Rita, and her boyfriend both vehemently denied this theory. They insisted Diana didn't know Robert and would never have left her life behind like that. Under pressure, the case was assigned to two detectives, Dave Stewart and Kenny Kirkland, on July 8. They began by revisiting Carrie Griffin. This time, their questioning broke her composure. Carrie admitted that the woman with Robert that night wasn't Diana, but his girlfriend, Jeanette Cox, known as Jenny.
Starting point is 03:57:34 Carrie painted a grim picture of Robert. He was violent, battled alcohol and drug problems, and had a short fuse. On the night in question, he'd shown up at her door covered in blood, demanding help. Terrified, Carrie had sent him to her neighbor, Ronald Henry. When police questioned Henry on July 10, he willingly led them to the exact spot where the truck had been stuck. What they found there was disturbing. The scene of the crime, by the time police arrived at the lake, nine days had passed since Diana's abduction. Any hope of finding clean evidence was slim. Yet, the scene offered up clues that were impossible to ignore. First, they found a yellow
Starting point is 03:58:13 shirt soaked in blood draped over some bushes. Nearby, tire marks led to a trail of something being dragged, a trail that ended in a large pool of blood swarming with flies. It was clear that something horrific had happened here. Though Diana's body was nowhere to be found, the amount of blood suggested she had little chance of surviving. Blood samples from the scene were sent for testing, and the results confirmed the worst. The blood belonged to Diana. This was no longer a missing person's case, it was a murder investigation. The hunt for evidence. On July 12, Robert Griffin was officially named the prime suspect in Diana's murder. Police searched his truck in home, uncovering damning evidence. Blood matching Dianas was found in the truck,
Starting point is 03:58:56 and two firearms, a shotgun and a .38 caliber revolver, were discovered in his house. The revolver, ominously, had traces of blood on it. An arrest warrant was issued, and Robert was taken into custody at Lake Dallas. Unable to pay his $1 million bail, he remained behind bars. Meanwhile, police turned their attention to his girlfriend, Jenny Cox, who had gone into hiding. She was eventually found on July 17th, but her involvement in the crime remained unclear. A desperate search, the lack of a body complicated the case. Without it, securing a conviction would be challenging. To make matters worse, a man named Jeffrey R. Cox muddied the waters further.
Starting point is 03:59:38 Claiming to have psychic abilities, Jeffrey offered to help locate Diana's body. He even suggested undergoing hypnosis to gain clarity. But his bizarre claims and contradictory statements only serve to waste time. and resources. Frustrated, police arrested him on August 5th for tampering with evidence. Running out of Leeds, the detectives decided to take an unconventional approach. They reached out to Carol Pate, a renowned psychic who had a reputation for aiding police investigations. The Psychic's Insight, Carol Pate specialized in psychometry, a technique where she claimed to gather information by touching objects. When brought onto the case, she was subjected
Starting point is 04:00:15 to a test, a table full of photographs, including images of Diana, Robbins. Robert, Jenny, and unrelated people. With her eyes closed, Carol identified Diana, saying she had been murdered, and then pointed out Robert and Jenny as the culprits. Detective Kirkland took Carol to the Red Derby parking lot. Without prior knowledge of the case, Carol described Diana's abduction in chilling detail. She claimed Robert shot Diana before forcing her into the truck. Carol then accompanied the police to the lake, where she described a brutal scene, Robert and
Starting point is 04:00:46 Jenny had beaten Diana, leaving her to die. She even sketched a location, a stone bridge with red graffiti, a cross, and a barrel, where she believed Diana's body could be found. Despite extensive searches, the location was never discovered. Justice without closure, in the absence of a body, Robert Griffin was convicted of aggravated kidnapping and sentenced to forty years in prison. Jenny Cox later confessed, corroborating much of what Carol had described. She claimed Robert, in a drug-fueled rage, accused Diana of theft before killing her at the
Starting point is 04:01:18 lake. However, Jenny maintained she wasn't present when Robert disposed of Diana's body, leaving its location a mystery. Jenny struck a plea deal and received a 20-year sentence. But even with these convictions, the question of what happened to Diana's body lingers. Did it end up under the bridge Carol described? Or was it somewhere else entirely? Now it's your turn to weigh in. Do you think Diana's body lies beneath that elusive stone bridge, or does the truth remain hidden forever? Everything begins in a small town in a Idaho called Moscow. It's a place known for its university vibe, with a huge portion of its population being students. Moscow is filled with fraternities, sororities, and student housing,
Starting point is 04:02:00 including a particular house that, in 2022, was home to six female students. This house was located at 1122, King Road, close to the university campus. The house was unique, it had three floors, three bathrooms, a full kitchen, six bedrooms, and two separate entrances. The main door was on the ground floor here the parking lot, while the back door led to the second floor. Because of its size and location, the house became a hotspot for parties. However, the frequent noise often irritated neighbors. On September 2nd, 2022, the local police were called to the house during the early morning hours. The situation was documented, and one of the tenants, Zana Kernital, answered the door and apologized profusely, promising it wouldn't
Starting point is 04:02:44 happen again. By late 2022, one of the six tenants decided to move out for reasons unknown. This left one room vacant, reducing the household to five residents. Madison Mogan, 21 originally from Idaho, Madison was in her senior year studying marketing. To support herself, she worked part-time at a local restaurant. Some sources suggest she also had a side hustle through social media. Madison had been dating her boyfriend, Jake Schreiger, for about a year. Kaley Goncalvez, 21 also from Idaho, Kaylee was in her final year pursuing general studies. She shared the house with her beloved dog, who had his own designated space. Kaylee had recently broken up with her boyfriend, Jack, and the two were co-parenting the dog, taking turns caring for him. Zana
Starting point is 04:03:31 Kernital, 20 hailing from Arizona, Zana studied marketing and was a member of the Pi-Beta-Fi sorority. She was dating Ethan, a 20-year-old fraternity member from Sigma Chi Ethan, a triplet, was originally from Washington and was deeply into sports. Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funk, the other two tenants, Dylan and Bethany, kept a relatively low profile, and little is publicly known about them. The six girls formed a tight-knit bond. They attended events together, went out to eat, worked out, and frequently shared pictures on social media.
Starting point is 04:04:03 Among them, Madison and Kaylee were best friends, having grown up together since sixth grade. They'd do everything together, said Steve Guncalves, Kaylee's father. Homework, sleepovers, college applications. Eventually, they even moved into the same house. Madison and Kaylee were well-known on campus and frequently appeared at social gatherings, becoming the face of any party they attended. However, what started as a typical Saturday night on November 12, 2022, would spiral into something sinister. That Saturday, each girl made separate plans.
Starting point is 04:04:36 Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and the university community was buzzing with events, parties, and social gatherings hosted by fraternities and sororities alike. Dylan and Bethany decided to visit a few bars and house parties before heading home early. Zana and her boyfriend Ethan attended a party at his fraternity house. Some unverified sources suggest there was a heated argument at this event, involving threats, but this has never been confirmed. Afterward, the couple decided to spend the night together at Zana's house. Madison and Kaylee, inseparable as usual, went out with friends, including Madison's
Starting point is 04:05:10 boyfriend, Jake. They hit up a local bar and left around 1.40 a.m. to visit a popular food truck, which was live streaming on Twitch at the time. Footage from this live stream showed Madison and Kaylee ordering food, laughing, and chatting with a hooded man who stood nearby. Keep this detail in mind, as it will resurface later. After eating, the girls called a taxi to head home. At around 2 a.m., all six residents were home. For the next few hours, several unusual events occurred. While these details were initially kept under wraps by authorities, their now public knowledge. At 3 a.m., Kaylee made a phone call to her ex-boyfriend, Jack. They spoke for several minutes, and the conversation seemed calm.
Starting point is 04:05:53 Around 4 a.m., Zana received a food delivery. She went downstairs to collect it and returned to her room. Dylan, who was sleeping on the first floor, woke up several times throughout the night. The house's age made it creaky, so any movement echoed through the walls. At one point, she thought she heard Kaylee playing with her dog. Later, she heard Kaylee's voice saying, there's someone here. Concerned, Dylan opened her door but saw nothing unusual. Moments later, she heard Zana crying.
Starting point is 04:06:24 When Dylan opened her door again, she caught a glimpse of a man dressed in black with bushy eyebrows and a mask covering most of his face. Frozen in shock, she closed her door and remained silent. The next morning, Dylan and Bethany discovered the lifeless bodies of their friends and immediately contacted the authorities. The initial 911 call brought chaos to the normally quiet neighborhood. Report suggests that before dialing the police, the surviving roommates may have called friends to the scene, resulting in several people being present when officers arrived. Police noted that the house had no signs of forced entry. The main
Starting point is 04:06:59 door was unlocked, and the back door on the second floor was often left open due to the neighborhood's perceived safety. The killer had entered through the back door and proceeded to the third floor, where Madison and Kaylee were killed in their beds. A military-style knife sheath was found near Madison's body, containing male DNA. The attacker then moved to the second floor, where Zana and Ethan were killed. As news of the murders broke, the university's director canceled classes for Monday, November 14, 2022. In an effort to calm the community, police made public statements assuring residents that the murders were an isolated incident and that, no one else was in danger. However, these claims were quickly contradicted when police chief
Starting point is 04:07:39 James Frye later admitted, we cannot definitively say there's no ongoing threat. Stay alert and report any suspicious activity. This conflicting information left the community in a state of panic, and amateur detectives online began crafting their own theories. Among the most popular hypotheses, the surviving roommates, Dylan and Bethany, many questioned how they hadn't heard or seen more, especially given Dylan's account of seeing the masked intruder. Police later cleared them of suspicion, explaining that trauma might have influenced their behavior. The hooded man at the food truck, online sleuths pointed fingers at the man seen behind Madison
Starting point is 04:08:14 and Cayley in the live stream. Authorities identified him as Madison's boyfriend, Jake, who had a solid alibi. A party goer, given the house's history of hosting large gatherings, some speculated that the killer might have been someone familiar with its layout. Police interviewed over 40 people, reviewed security footage, and even combed through low local dumpster contents, but nothing concrete emerged. A stalker, Kaylee had mentioned to friends that she believed she was being followed. This claim was corroborated by a local vape shop employee who overheard her discussing the issue. However, the alleged stalker was never identified.
Starting point is 04:08:50 The case took a major turn on December 7, 2022, when police issued a request for information about a white Hyundai Allentra scene seen speeding near the crime scene. Surveillance footage also captured the vehicle multiple times before and after the murders, including near the University of Washington campus in Pullman, where Brian Christopher Coburger was a Ph.D. student in criminology. Coburger's background raised eyebrows. Born in Albrightville, Pennsylvania, he had studied psychology in criminal justice, earning his master's degree under Dr. Catherine Ramsland, a psychologist known for her work with infamous serial killer Dennis Raider, BTK. Despite his academic success, former classmates described Coburger as socially awkward and prone.
Starting point is 04:09:30 to making inappropriate comments. After the murders, Coburger allegedly displayed strange behavior, such as wearing gloves in public and changing the license plate on his Hyundai. Police tracked his movements through cell phone data, noting that his phone had been turned off during the murders but had ping towers near the victim's house multiple times in the weeks leading up to the crime. On December 30th, 2022, police arrested Coburger at his parents' home in Pennsylvania. DNA from the knife sheath matched a sample obtained from from Coburgers' family's trash. Co-Burger agreed to be extradited to Idaho,
Starting point is 04:10:03 where he faces charges of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. Despite the evidence, many questions remain unanswered. Coburger's motive is unclear, and his connection to the victims is still speculative. He could face life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted. The next court date is set for June 23, 2003.
Starting point is 04:10:24 What do you think of this case? Do you believe there's more information yet to surface? Once upon a time, in a quiet little house on Dawson Avenue in Spalding, Lincolnshire, something deeply unsettling unfolded. This wasn't just any ordinary home, it was the home of 49-year-old Elizabeth Edwards and her two daughters, 13-year-old Katie and 14-year-old Kim. To their neighbors, they seemed like an average family, maybe even happy at first glance. But on April 14, 2016, that all changed.
Starting point is 04:10:53 The alarm was first raised when people started noticing something strange. Elizabeth hadn't shown up for work, and her daughters hadn't been to school in days. Calls and messages went unanswered. Even after knocking on their door repeatedly, no one responded, except for their dog, who barked endlessly from inside. It wasn't like Elizabeth to just vanish without a word. Concern quickly turned into panic. Two days later, on April 16, police decided to check on the family.
Starting point is 04:11:22 They knocked, rang the bell, and when there was still no response, they forced their way in. What they found was beyond shocking. The house wasn't empty, as they initially thought. The television was on, playing the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn, Part 1. On the living room couch sat Kim and her boyfriend, Lucas Markham, cuddled together like it was just another lazy movie night. A mattress lay sprawled out in front of them, and the two seemed disturbingly calm, as if nothing in the world could disrupt their peace.
Starting point is 04:11:51 When the officers asked about Elizabeth and Katie, the teens didn't flinch. They're upstairs, one of them casually. replied. Their unmerving calmness immediately set off alarms in the officer's minds. Something was very, very wrong. What the police discovered upstairs was straight out of a nightmare. It marked the beginning of a chilling story that would come to be known as the Twilight Killer's case, a tale of teenage love, broken families, and a tragedy so twisted it almost seemed unreal. The background, Kimberly Edwards, born in 2002, was the eldest of Elizabeth's two daughters. Her early years were far from idyllic.
Starting point is 04:12:28 Her family was dysfunctional, to say the least. Accounts differ on the details. Some say her biological father abandoned them when Kim was just two years old, while others claim he stuck around but was violent and addicted to drugs. Either way, Kim grew up in a toxic environment. When Kim was just five, a heated argument with her mother ended with Elizabeth losing control and hitting her. Social services intervened, and Kim, along with her younger sister Katie,
Starting point is 04:12:54 was placed in foster care for six months. Those months were devastating for Kim. She felt abandoned, unloved, and misunderstood, a feeling that would only grow deeper as the years went by. When the girls returned to their mother, things didn't improve. Elizabeth seemed to favor Katie, often describing her as an angel, a good girl who could do no wrong. Kim, on the other hand, was rebellious and headstrong, constantly clashing with her mother. its constant scolding and punishing only widened the rift between them. Family members later insisted the sisters got along well, but it was clear that the dynamic
Starting point is 04:13:29 between Kim and her mother was fraught with tension. By 2013, things took a darker turn. Kim reportedly accused her mother of trying to strangle her. Whether the accusation was true or not remains unclear, but one thing was certain, Kim's resentment toward her mother was festering, and her mental health was deteriorating. She kept a pink diary where she poured out all her anger, loneliness, and despair. Her mother eventually stumbled upon the diary and, horrified by its contents, sought professional help for Kim.
Starting point is 04:13:59 But no amount of therapy could mend their broken bond. The boyfriend, enter Lucas Markham. Kim met Lucas at school, and Sparks flew instantly. Like Kim, Lucas had a troubled childhood. Born to parents who had a violent relationship, he and his siblings spent years bouncing around foster homes. When Lucas was four, he was adopted by his aunt after his mother died of leukemia. Despite her efforts, Lucas grew up angry, rebellious, and prone to violent outbursts. At school, Lucas was known as the problem kid. He got into fights, disobeyed teachers,
Starting point is 04:14:34 and had a fascination with gore. His best friend, Adam Free, recalled how Lucas was disturbingly curious about the brutal murder of Adam's father, Warren Free, who had been beaten to death with an iron bar by a group of teenagers. Lucas wanted to know every detail about the crime, how it happened, why, and how the killers got away with it. When Kim first saw Lucas, it was during one of his infamous outbursts. In the middle of class, he picked up a chair and hurled it across the room in a fit of rage. Most people would have steered clear of him after witnessing that, but not Kim.
Starting point is 04:15:07 She was drawn to him, perhaps seeing a kindred spirit in his anger and pain. The two quickly became inseparable. They understood each other in a way no one else could. Both felt unloved, unwanted, and misunderstood by the world around them. To them, their love was like something out of a storybook, or more accurately, a Twilight movie. They compared their relationship to that of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, believing their love was so deep, so pure, that nothing could tear them apart. The Forbidden Romance, Elizabeth, however, was far from thrilled about their relationship.
Starting point is 04:15:40 She didn't trust Lucas. He was aggressive, controlling, and had a temper that could explode at any moment. At first, she tried to give him a chance, but as she observed how possessive he was with Kim, her concerns grew. Then, one day, she discovered through Kim's diary that the two teens were sexually active. That was the last straw. Elizabeth laid down the law, Kim and Lucas could no longer see each other. They were forbidden from being alone together, and if they wanted to meet, it had to be under her watchful eye. The teens felt like their love story was being ripped straight from the pages of Romeo and Juliet.
Starting point is 04:16:16 They were devastated. In October 2015, unable to bear the separation any longer, Kim and Lucas ran away. They hid in a nearby forest for six days while their families and the police frantically searched for them. When they were finally found, Elizabeth doubled down on her restrictions, warning Kim that if she ever saw Lucas again, she'd be kicked out of the house. But the tighter Elizabeth tried to hold on to her daughter, the more Kim resisted. She spiraled into depression, and in March 2016, she attempted suicide by overdosing
Starting point is 04:16:46 on painkillers. Elizabeth sought help for her daughter once again, but the damage was done. Kim had made up her mind, her mother was the enemy, the one person standing between her and Lucas. The plot, Lucas had always been fiercely protective of Kim. He saw Elizabeth as a tyrant who was trying to ruin Kim's life. So one day, he suggested something unthinkable, what if we just got rid of her? At first, Kim thought he was joking.
Starting point is 04:17:13 But when she realized he was serious, she agreed. The plan was simple but horrifying. On the night of April 11, Lucas would sneak into Kim's house armed with kitchen knives. Together, they would kill Elizabeth and Katie. Then, they'd be free to live happily ever after. The first two nights, their plan fell apart because Kim fell asleep before Lucas could sneak in. But on the night of April 13th, everything went according to plan. Lucas climbed through the bathroom window with the knives in hand.
Starting point is 04:17:44 Kim stayed behind while Lucas crept into Elizabeth's bedroom and stabbed her eight times. Afterward, he smothered her with a pillow. When it came time to kill Katie, Kim hesitated. She couldn't bring herself to do it, so Lucas took over, killing Katie in the same brutal way. The aftermath, with the murders complete, the teens didn't flee or panic. Instead, they settled in for a Twilight marathon, eating snacks, and cuddling on the couch. It wasn't until days later, when the police broke down the door, that the gruesome truth came to light.
Starting point is 04:18:16 Kim and Lucas were arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison, later reduced to 17.5. They'll be eligible for release in their early 30s. Whether their love will survive that long remains to be seen. This chilling story serves as a grim reminder of how love, when twisted by pain and anger, can lead to unthinkable acts. What do you think? Were their sentences fair, or did they deserve more? What seemed obvious from the start was that this case was connected to the one at the bus stop.
Starting point is 04:18:45 If that was true, then authorities were dealing with a potential serial killer. It all kicked off on the afternoon of July 3rd, 2003. A man, completely drunk, stumbled into a police station and began spinning the wildest story. He claimed he was the serial killer everyone was looking for. Naturally, no one believed him. The officers chuckled, waved him off, and told him to stop wasting their time. But then, the man got serious. He started revealing details about the crimes, details that only the killer could know.
Starting point is 04:19:17 These weren't things the media had published. And so began the chilling tale of the deck of cards killer. Let's go back to the beginning. It all started at 11.30 a.m. on Friday, January 24, 2003, in Madrid. Juan Francisco Ledesma was at home, feeding his two-year-old son. Juan worked as a doorman for the building at 89, Alonso Cano Street in Chimberi. Because of his job, he lived in a small residence on the ground floor of the same building. It was an ordinary day.
Starting point is 04:19:47 He wore his uniform, attended to his toddler, and kept the door to his home open, just in case a neighbor needed something. Trust was high in the community. But out of nowhere, a stranger walked into his house. This man, armed with a pistol, forced Juan to kneel before shooting him point-blank in the head. The crime was committed in front of Juan's two-year-old son, who was too young to understand what had just happened. The investigation that followed shook the officers to their core. There were no fingerprints, no apparent motive, and almost no leads. The only clue. Residue from a bullet. The killer had taken the bullet casing, but the residue hinted that
Starting point is 04:20:24 the weapon was a 7.62 millimeters Tokarev, a pistol of Soviet make. With so little to go on, several theories emerged. The first was that this was a revenge killing. The way the killer forced Juan to kneel and then shot him execution style seemed to scream, personal vendetta. But here's the twist, one had no enemies. He owed no money. He had no criminal record or any significant conflicts in his life. Sure, he'd had a recent argument with someone, but that person had a solid alibi. No matter how they sliced it, Juan seemed like a man with no problems. Now, let's set the stage with the broader context. Early 2003 wasn't exactly a peaceful time in Madrid. Crime rates were climbing. There were shootings, gang clashes, and all kinds of violent
Starting point is 04:21:12 incidents. So, initially, Juan's murder was lumped in with the chaos of the time. It was written off as just another violent crime. The media reported it as an isolated incident. Nobody thought much of it. But things took a dark turn just a few weeks later. In the early hours of Wednesday, February 5, 1 Carlos Martinez-Tasio, a 28-year-old, was heading to a bus stop in Alameda de Osuna, a neighborhood in Madrid. The streets were empty. The silence of the night was suddenly shattered by a gunshot.
Starting point is 04:21:45 Someone had appeared out of nowhere, forced Juan Carlos to kneel, and shot him in the head. Then, the killer left something unusual at the scene, a playing card, specifically the the ace of Cups. At first, investigators didn't think much of the card. Just a coincidence, maybe. But when the media got wind of it, they pounced on the detail. They speculated about its meaning and nicknamed the culprit, the deck of cards killer, or the card assassin.
Starting point is 04:22:10 From here, theories began swirling. The first theory was that Juan Carlos had some kind of gambling debt. Maybe he'd lost money, couldn't pay, and someone had hired a hitman to deal with him. But this theory fell apart fast. One Carlos wasn't a gambler. He didn't bet on cards or dice. He didn't owe anyone money. He was a regular guy, a hardworking and honest man.
Starting point is 04:22:34 The second theory. Maybe this was the work of a serial killer, and the Ace of Cups was the killer's calling card. The media ran wild with this angle. In taro, the Ace of Cups symbolizes new beginnings, so journalists speculated that this killer might be sending some twisted message. The third theory was even more sinister, a copycat killer inspired by the infamous role-playing game killer, case that had shocked Spain years earlier.
Starting point is 04:23:00 That case involved a man who convinced a friend to help him murder someone as part of a macab game. The victim in that case was also someone waiting for a bus. The similarities were eerie, nighttime killings, victims at bus stops, and both victims worked in the cleaning industry. Too many parallels to ignore. Then came February 5, just hours after Juan Carlos' murder. Another crime unfolded.
Starting point is 04:23:24 It was 4 p.m. in Alcala de Hineries. A man, armed and with no attempt to hide his face, walked into Bar Rojas. Inside were three people, Teresa Sanchez, the 38-year-old owner, her 18-year-old son, Mikkel Jimenez, and Wanda Dolores Suckel, a 54-year-old neighbor who was chatting on the phone at the bar. The scene was quiet until the man pulled out a gun. He first shot Mikkel in the head, killing him instantly. Then he turned to Wana and did the same.
Starting point is 04:23:52 Teresa, realizing what was happening, dove to the ground. But the gunman wasn't leaving witnesses. He went behind the bar and shot Teresa three times, in the arm, the back, and the leg. Miraculously, Teresa survived. Minutes later, Michael's friend Antonio Marine arrived at the bar. They'd planned to meet, but Mikkel wasn't picking up his phone. Antonio walked in and found the horrifying aftermath. He described the scene later, saying, I called for my friend, and his mom came crawling
Starting point is 04:24:23 out, crying, and told me to call the police. Investigators scrambled to make sense of it all. At first, they thought the attack was a vendetta against Teresa and her son, with Juana as an unfortunate bystander. But, like the earlier cases, this theory didn't hold up. Teresa and her family were hardworking, honest people with no enemies. Sure, Mikkel had been in a fight the previous summer over some graffiti drama, but that that issue had been resolved. It didn't make sense. What started to become clear, though, was that this crime was linked to the bus stop murder. The method was the same, cold, calculated headshots. If that was true, authorities were now dealing with a serial killer, one with a
Starting point is 04:25:04 short fuse and an expert aim. All three fatal victims had been shot in the head. The killer seemed determined to leave no witnesses, but Teresa's survival threw a wrench in that plan. Teresa managed to give a description of the shooter, young, athletic man with tattoos. And, based on ballistic evidence, the gun used was the same Tokarev pistol from the earlier killings. The media went into overdrive. Reporters hunted for every detail, airing interviews with Teresa and relatives of the victims. But as information dried up, so did the coverage. And then, on March 7, 2003, another attack shook the city.
Starting point is 04:25:41 This time, it was 3 a.m. Santiago Ardosa Salas, 27, and his friend Anna hit Castillo Rupertie, 29, were chatting on Avenida Vinolas in Trace Cantos. They'd spent the night walking and talking, as they often did. Santiago had walked Anahit home, but before they could part ways, a man appeared out of nowhere. At first, they didn't think much of him. He was just another guy on the street. But as he got closer, Santiago noticed something off. The man's pace quickened. Before Santiago could react, the man pulled out a gun and shot him in the face.
Starting point is 04:26:17 The bullet went through Santiago's jaw and exited through his neck. Then the shooter turned to Anna hit. She dropped to the ground, curling into a fetal position in covering her head. She braced for the worst. But then, nothing. The killer's gun had jammed. Frustrated, he gave up, leaving behind another playing card, this time, the two of cups. Anna Hitt couldn't recall the man's face in detail, but she remembered two key things,
Starting point is 04:26:43 his shark-like eyes and a pink mesh he had rigged over his gun. This mesh suggested the killer knew his weapon well and used it to catch the bullet casings. Santiago miraculously survived after undergoing two surgeries. He provided a detailed description of the attacker, a man between 26 and 28 years old, about 5 feet 11 inches, athletic, and sporting some facial hair. His account matched Teresa's earlier description, although some minor details differed, suggesting the killer might have altered his appearance between crimes. For days, investigators combed the crime scene.
Starting point is 04:27:17 Santiago's injury, an entry and exit wound, meant the bullet had to be somewhere. After an exhaustive search, they found it buried in the dirt. Ballistics tests confirmed it, the weapon was the same Tokarev pistol. This particular gun wasn't common in Spain. Experts traced its origin to Yugoslavia, speculating it could have entered the country through two channels, either the killer was from that region, or they were a military or ex-military individual who had been stationed there. Faced with mounting pressure, authorities formed a task force of 150 officers dedicated solely to finding the deck of cards killer.
Starting point is 04:27:51 Piecing together the timeline, they confirmed that all the crimes, January 24th, February 5th, and March 7th, were linked. The same weapon, the same method, and no apparent pattern in victim selection. This killer didn't seem to have a type. He killed randomly, and that made him even more dangerous. Desperate for leads, the task force turned to the public. They released a composite sketch and the tip line, pleading for anyone with information to come forward. Media outlets plastered the killer's image everywhere. The hunt was on, but the killer's next move remained a chilling unknown. Imagine this, a public video, open for everyone to see, and all of Tony's friends are watching it.
Starting point is 04:28:33 What's the reaction? Well, let's just say it wasn't positive. People called it ridiculous, absurd, even worthless. Some even spoke to Tony directly, telling him not to reconcile with her. But here's the twist, Tony's ex-girlfriend. She didn't think it was ridiculous at all. In fact, she found the video downright adorable. So, this bizarre story kicks off in the early hours of October 18th,
Starting point is 04:28:58 2014. Messages start pinging phones like crazy, Tony's friends are all getting strange texts. The message? Someone is saying that Tony's girlfriend is dead. Q. Chaos. Nobody knows where the news is coming from, and no one can confirm it. Tony's best friend, fed up with the speculation, decides to contact her parents. And guess what? Tony isn't home. He's not in his room, not in the living room, and his car. gone. It's like he vanished into thin air. What happened to Tony? Why don't his parents know where he is? These are the burning questions that unravel what would soon become a sinister and
Starting point is 04:29:38 unforgettable case. The calm before the storm, it all begins in Salt Lake City, Utah, a calm, serene place often associated with a strong Mormon presence. For families, it's an idyllic spot to settle down. That's why Dana Marie Anderson and Casey B bought a beautiful little house in holiday, a charming suburb of Salt Lake City. On June 17, 1993, they welcomed their daughter, Tony Marie B. From day one, Tony was the dream child. Blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a flawless smile, she had that quintessential all-American look. But it wasn't just her appearance, Tony had a magnetic personality. Friends always said she was the most loyal person they'd ever known, a quality that would later play a pivotal role in her story. Tony loved to act, sing, dance, and
Starting point is 04:30:26 the center of attention. Music, in particular, was her passion. She dreamed of becoming a star, and anyone who met her believed she had what it took. The incident that changed everything, fast forward to 2010. Tony, now 17, is enjoying the life of a popular teenager. But one seemingly innocent afternoon takes a sharp turn. She and a few older friends go for a drive, music blasting, spirits high. At some point, they park the car, pull out some alcohol, and start drinking. Things are light-hearted until someone pulls out a tiny bag of marijuana. Tony, who didn't smoke, wanted nothing to do with it. But her friends? Oh, they were all in. As the group laughed and partied, a police patrol car rolled up. Panic set in. The teen scrambled,
Starting point is 04:31:15 passing the bag around like a hot potato. In the end, Tony made a split-second decision, she kicked the bag under the front seat, thinking the cops wouldn't find it there. Spoiler alert, did. When the officers asked who it belonged to, everyone went silent. And here's the thing, Tony's friends were all over 18. According to Utah law, possession of drugs as an adult could mean jail time. But Tony? She was still a minor. The group figured out the math. If Tony took the fall, she'd only spend 90 days in a juvenile facility. Reluctantly, Tony confessed, saying the marijuana was hers. Her so-called friends didn't even try to stop her. Life inside, Tony's arrest shocked her family.
Starting point is 04:32:00 It didn't add up, she wasn't the type of kid to mess with drugs. Regardless, the law was the law. Soon enough, she found herself in a youth treatment center. The transition wasn't easy. At first, Tony was a nervous wreck. She barely left her room, consumed by anxiety. But then, she met Victoria Ashley Mendoza, and everything changed. was the polar opposite of Tony. While Tony was sweet, bubbly, and approachable, Victoria
Starting point is 04:32:29 was hardened by life. Her father, originally from Mexico, had died by suicide when Victoria was just ten. After that, her family struggled to make ends meet, eventually moving to a rough neighborhood in Ogden, Utah. Victoria had a reputation. She skipped school, got into fights, and carried a knife, earning her a spot in the juvenile system. Despite their differences, Tony and Victoria hit it off. Over time, their friendship turned romantic. A toxic love story. When Tony's sentence ended in August 2010, the two girls stayed in touch.
Starting point is 04:33:04 They wrote letters daily. Tonys were filled with love, but Victoria's had a darker edge. She often warned Tony against being unfaithful, threatening violence if she did. Tony misinterpreted these threats as passionate declarations of love. In September 2010, Victoria was released, and instead of visiting her terminally ill mother, she headed straight to Tony's house. Tony's parents were uneasy. Victoria's demeanor was unsettling, dark, edgy, and intense.
Starting point is 04:33:33 But Tony was over the moon, so they reluctantly allowed Victoria to stay. What followed was a whirlwind of highs and lows. Victoria demanded to know everything about Tony's past relationships, a red flag that the family chose to ignore. When Tony visited Victoria's neighborhood, it was like stepping into another world, a dangerous one. One day, during a gathering with Victoria's friends, things escalated. Accounts differ, but one version claims Victoria waved a knife around as a joke.
Starting point is 04:34:01 Another version suggests she threatened someone out of jealousy. Either way, Tony was alarmed. When she asked why Victoria carried a knife, she got vague excuses, it's for protection, or, I collect them. The relationship grew increasingly toxic. Victoria controlled who Tony spoke to, monitored her messages, and insisted on being involved in every aspect of her life. When love turns to obsession, by 2012, Victoria's mother had passed away, leaving her with
Starting point is 04:34:29 nowhere to go. Tony's family, despite their reservations, welcomed her into their home permanently. But Victoria's jealousy spiraled out of control. She accused Tony of being too affectionate with her stepbrothers, creating unnecessary drama. Tony, exhausted, began cutting off friends and avoiding social interactions altogether. Victoria's paranoia peaked when she cheated on Tony out of revenge, hoping to provoke a confession of infidelity. Instead, Tony ended the relationship, kicking Victoria out and blocking her on social media.
Starting point is 04:35:01 Desperate to win her back, Victoria bombarded Tony with calls, messages, and pleas. When that failed, she turned to YouTube, posting a six-minute video apologizing for everything. The mysterious disappearance. The fallout of their breakup set the stage for Tony's disappearance. Despite Victoria's public apology, Tony's friends urged him not to reconcile. Yet, Victoria's grip on Tony's life seemed unbreakable. On October 18, 2014, the chaos reached its peak. Messages circulated, rumors spread, and the truth remained elusive.
Starting point is 04:35:36 What happened to Tony that night? Why was he missing? As investigators dove deeper into the case, shocking secrets came to light, revealing the dangerous consequences of a love story gone wrong. A tale of love, manipulation, and tragedy, the story of Victoria and Toy. Have you ever come across a story so wild, so layered with drama, heartbreak, and chaos that it feels like a plot ripped from a movie? That's exactly what you're in for here. This is the story of Victoria and Toy, a relationship that started with love but spiraled into
Starting point is 04:36:06 control, manipulation, and ultimately, tragedy. Victoria was no stranger to making bold moves, and when things went south in her relationship, she turned to an unconventional platform to air her emotions, YouTube. She uploaded a six-minute video, which, on the surface, seemed like an apology. But trust me, it was anything but that. She starts the video fumbling her words, clearly unsure where to begin. Okay, so, I'm really confused on where to start right now, she says. From there, she dives into what she calls an apology.
Starting point is 04:36:39 Spoiler alert, it wasn't. Victoria's so-called apology felt less like remorse and more like manipulation 101. She brought up a letter that wasn't even hers, it was written by Taui while she was still locked up, a relic of a different time in their relationship. Instead of owning up to her actions, Victoria leaned into reminding Taui how much she loved her, how deeply she cared, and how much she wanted her back. At one point, she even pulls out a collage of photos that Taui had made for her. See this? Victoria says, holding up the collage.
Starting point is 04:37:12 This proves how much we love each other. You made this for me because you care, and that's why we belong together. It was blatant manipulation, plain and simple. Her friends saw right through it, calling the video absurd and insincere. They told Toy not to fall for it. But sometimes love blinds us, and Toy, unfortunately, saw the video as heartfelt. She called Victoria, and just like that, they were back together. For a while, things seemed to improve.
Starting point is 04:37:40 Victoria moved back in with Toi's family, and their social media accounts were full of smiling photos, happy outings, and cheerful updates. Even Toi's mom, Dana Marie Anderson, felt like things were looking up, though she had her reservations. From time to time, she overheard the couple arguing, but when she tried to intervene, both girls brushed it off. Nothing to worry about, they'd say. But Dana started noticing troubling signs.
Starting point is 04:38:05 Taui began showing up with bruises, on her arms, her legs, her face. When Dana asked about them, Taui always had an excuse. I fell, she'd say. Or, I bumped into something. But the bruises didn't stop, and Dana's suspicions grew stronger. Her ex-husband, Casey, shared her concerns. Something's not right, he told Dana. The relationship was turning toxic, and they both knew it.
Starting point is 04:38:33 One night, things came to a head. Toy was texting a friend, laughing at a joke, when Victoria, consumed by jealousy, lost her temper. In a fit of rage, she punched Toy, splitting her lip and knocking out a tooth. When Toy returned home, Dana was horrified by her injuries. She demanded answers, but Toi, ever protective of Victoria, refused to implicate her. Instead, she made up a story about being attacked by a group of strangers. Dana and Casey knew she was lying, but their hands were tied.
Starting point is 04:39:04 Toyi was an adult, and unless she pressed charges, there was nothing they could do. They decided to support her, hoping she'd eventually open up. By 2014, Toi seemed to be rebuilding her life. At 21, she was studying at the University of Salt Lake City and working a job in accounting. Victoria had found work as a security guard, and things appeared to be stabilizing. But beneath the surface, their relationship was crumbling. was growing more independent. She had new friends, a steady job, and savings in the bank. Victoria, on the other hand, couldn't handle the change. She grew increasingly controlling,
Starting point is 04:39:42 bombarding Toy with calls and messages, desperate to keep her close. One evening, Toy confided in her best friend. I can't do this anymore, she admitted. I want out. I need to be free. Victoria is suffocating me. Her friend encouraged her to take the leap. You deserved to be happy, she said. On October 17, 2014, the couple attended a dinner party hosted by their friend Lacey. The plan was to have dinner, then hit up a party afterward. According to some accounts, they never made it to the party. Others say they did, but one thing is clear, the night took a dark turn. At the party, Toy was in high spirits, reconnecting with old friends and classmates. Victoria, however, was less than thrilled. She didn't know many people there and grew
Starting point is 04:40:30 increasingly jealous as the night went on. At one point, she locked herself in the bathroom, presumably hoping Taui would come looking for her. But Taui didn't. She stayed at the party, laughing, drinking, and enjoying herself. When Victoria finally emerged, she told Taui she was tired and wanted to leave. Begrudgingly, Taui agreed. On the way out, Lacey asked for a ride home. Toy said yes, and the three of them piled into the car, Toy driving, Lacey in the passenger seat, and Victoria brooding in the back. The drive was tense. Victoria barely spoke, and the air was thick with unspoken resentment. When they dropped Lacey off, she sensed something was off.
Starting point is 04:41:12 Take care, she said to Taui, lingering for a moment before heading inside. Hours later, chaos erupted. Lacey woke up to unsettling rumors that Taui was dead. Panicked, she called Dana, who immediately went to check on her daughter. But Taui wasn't home, and her car was missing. Meanwhile, the truth about that night was slowly unraveling. After dropping Lacey off, the couple argued. Victoria accused Taui of being unfaithful, hurling jealous accusations.
Starting point is 04:41:41 Taui, fed up, finally snapped. I'm done, she said. I can't do this anymore. The argument escalated, and according to Victoria, Taui slapped her. Whether or not that's true, what happened next is undisputed, Victoria grabbed a knife and stabbed toy 46 times. The attack was brutal. Toye had defensive wounds on her hands and arms, a testament to her desperate fight for survival. But in the end, she succumbed to her injuries, not from the stabs themselves, but from blood loss. Victoria didn't call for help. Instead,
Starting point is 04:42:15 she pushed Toy's lifeless body into the passenger seat, drove to a church parking lot, and called her sister to confess. The aftermath was harrowing. Victoria was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. During her trial, she painted herself as the victim, claiming she acted in self-defense. But the evidence told a different story. The autopsy revealed that none of the stabbed wounds were immediately fatal. If Victoria had called 911, Toye might have survived. Instead, she let her bleed out while making calls to her sister and a friend. In court, Victoria's cold demeanor shocked everyone.
Starting point is 04:42:52 At one point, she admitted to a prior assault on Toy, saying, I knocked out her tooth, and her family helped cover it up. Her lack of remorse was chilling. In the end, Victoria pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 16 years. But the story doesn't end there. In 2021, Victoria went viral on TikTok. Videos of her surfaced, showing her smiling, chatting, and amassing a fan base. It turned out that during the pandemic, a friend had illegally recorded their virtual visits and posted the footage online. The family of Toy was devastated. They reported the accounts and the videos were taken down, but the damage was done. To this day, Victoria has a small but loyal following, with fans creating tribute pages in her honor.
Starting point is 04:43:39 So, what do you think? Should someone like Victoria have fans? Does her crime overshadow any chance of redemption? Or is the Internet's obsession with criminals just another symptom of our warped fascination with true crime? Let me know your thoughts. They claimed to know who killed her. The police were skeptical, naturally, and their primary question was, how could they possibly
Starting point is 04:44:01 know who killed Teresita? To this, Dr. Chua replied, she told us herself. This incredible story begins in 1929 in Dummageet City, Philippines, with the birth of a woman named Teresida Bassa. Born into a well-off family, Terracita was the only child of a respected lawyer and his wife. While little is known about her mother's occupation, her father's influence and the family's affluence allowed her access to some of the best educational opportunities. Terracita attended the prestigious Assumption College of San Lorenzo in Makati before packing her bags to chase her dreams
Starting point is 04:44:33 in the United States. Upon arriving in America, Terracita pursued her passion for music, earning a master's degree from Indiana University. But her ambitions didn't stop there. After completing her music studies, she took an entirely different turn, delving into medicine with a specialization in respiratory therapy. This shift eventually led to a a job at Edgewater Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, where she worked as a respiratory therapist. She settled into her new life in an apartment at 15B, Pine Grove Avenue, living alone but purposefully. Even with her demanding medical career, Teresita refused to abandon her love for music. She began working on a doctoral thesis in music at Loyola University, balancing her professional
Starting point is 04:45:15 responsibilities with her academic pursuits. Beyond this, she also took piano lessons and even started writing a book. her packed schedule, Terracita led a modest and reserved life. At 47 years old, she neither smoked, drank, nor partied. Her social circle was small, and one of her few close friends was Ruth Lope. On the evening of February 21st, 1977, Ruth called Terracita around 7.30 p.m. to catch up. The two friends chatted for about half an hour, discussing their daily lives and plans. During the conversation, Terracita casually mentioned she had plans to meet a friend that evening. The call ended around 8 p.m., leaving Ruth with no reason to suspect anything unusual about
Starting point is 04:45:58 her friend's night. But at approximately 8.30 p.m., two neighbors in the Pine Grove Avenue building noticed smoke billowing from Terracita's apartment. There were no flames or cries for help, so they assumed it might be a kitchen mishap. Nevertheless, they approached the building's concierge and asked him to check on her. When attempts to contact Terracita by phone and doorbell failed, the concierge called the fire department. When firefighters arrived, they quickly extinguished the flames but discovered a chilling scene that would haunt them. Terracita Bossa was dead. And it wasn't the fire that killed her.
Starting point is 04:46:32 Her body was found under a burning mattress, but it bore no signs of smoke inhalation. Instead, she had been stabbed multiple times. A butcher knife remained lodged in her chest. Adding to the horror, her body was completely naked, though her clothes were neatly folded beside her. There were no fingerprints, no clear evidence, and no witnesses. The only clue was a cryptic note written by Terracita herself, get tickets for AS. The police began investigating immediately, questioning her friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. They quickly learned that Terracita had mentioned meeting a man that night. This led investigators to theorize that she'd gone on a date that took a dark turn.
Starting point is 04:47:13 Perhaps the man sought something more than conversation, and when Terracita refused, he became violent, ultimately killing her and setting the apartment ablaze to cover his tracks. This theory, however, was thrown into question when the autopsy results revealed Terracita had not been sexually assaulted. Her nudity seemed staged, adding to the confusion. Investigators turned back to her social circle, asking if anyone recognized the initials, AS. Unfortunately, no one did. Only one person's initials came close, but that individual had an alibi and was nowhere near Terracita's apartment that night. Some sources suggest that Terracita had a romantic partner at the time, but this individual was also ruled out after a thorough investigation.
Starting point is 04:47:55 With no fingerprints, no physical evidence, and only two enigmatic initials, the case quickly went cold. The press lost interest, the Chicago police moved on to more solvable crimes, and it seemed Terracita's tragic story would remain a mystery forever. But six months later, in August 1977, an unexpected phone call breathed new life into the case. The Evanston Police Department had received a bizarre tip that warranted the attention of detectives Joseph Stachula and Lee Eppelin. The tip was so strange, in fact, that they were asked to meet the informant in person to fully understand the situation. The detectives drove to the home of Dr. Jose Chua and his wife, Remy, both Filipino immigrants. Dr. Chua was a surgical assistant at Franklin Boulevard Community Hospital, while Remy worked as a respiratory therapist, much like Terracita. In fact, the two women had briefly worked together at Edgewater Hospital.
Starting point is 04:48:49 Though they weren't close friends, they were friendly enough to have shared a few coffee breaks in the past. So why was this couple claiming to know the identity of Terracita's killer? Dr. Chua explained that Remy had been experiencing strange episodes, trances, to be precise. During these episodes, her demeanor, voice, and even her expression changed, as if she were possessed by another person. According to Dr. Chua, the person who seemed to take over his wife's body was none other than Terracita Bossa. Through these trances, Terracita provided chilling details about her murder.
Starting point is 04:49:21 She named her killer as Alan Showery, a co-worker and supposed friend. She alleged that Alan had come to her apartment under the guise of fixing her television but had instead stabbed her, stolen her jewelry, and set her apartment on fire. One specific piece of jewelry she mentioned was a unique ring, which she claimed Alan had given to his girlfriend after the murder. Initially, the Chua's hesitated to report these episodes to the police, fearing they would be dismissed as lunatics. But as the details of the visions became more specific, Dr. Chua felt compelled to act. After all, he was a respected professional, not the type to fabricate stories or chase ghosts. When Detective Stachula and Eplin heard the
Starting point is 04:50:00 Chua's account, they were understandably skeptical but had little to lose by following up. The case was cold, and no other leads had surfaced. They decided to visit Alan Showery's home on August 11, 1977. Alan initially denied any involvement in Terracita's murder, claiming he hadn't even visited her apartment that night. But as the detectives pressed him, his story began to change. He admitted to stopping by her place to help fix her television but insisted he left after a brief visit.
Starting point is 04:50:29 However, his girlfriend, Yanka Camel, contradicted his claims. She confirmed that Alan had met with Terracita that evening and, when questioned further, revealed that Alan had recently given her several pieces of jewelry, including a ring that matched the description provided during Remy's trances. The detectives showed the recovered jewelry to Terracita's family, who immediately identified it as hers. This was the breakthrough the case needed. Faced with mounting evidence, Alan Showery confessed. He admitted to killing Terracita out of greed. He had been struggling financially and saw an opportunity to steal from a friend who trusted him.
Starting point is 04:51:05 That night, he had lured her into a false sense of security before stabbing her, staging the scene to look like a sexual assault, and setting her apartment on fire. Alan's confession seemed to seal the case, but his attorney, William Swano, argued that the evidence, much of it derived from a supposed ghost, was inadmissible in court. The first trial ended in a mistrial. However, during a second trial in February 1979, Alan unexpectedly pled guilty. He was sentenced to 14 years for murder and additional trial. concurrent sentences for armed robbery and arson. Despite the severity of his crimes,
Starting point is 04:51:40 Alan served only four years before being released on parole. The case of Terracita Bossa remains one of the most bizarre in criminal history. Some skeptics believe Remy's trances were not supernatural but rather a subconscious manifestation of details she might have overheard at the hospital. Others argue that the accuracy of the information she provided defies logical explanation. What do you think? Was this a case of genuine possession, or was there another, more earthly explanation. Regardless, Terracita Bossa's voice, whether from beyond the grave or through extraordinary coincidence, helped bring her killer to justice. It's been just a month since you broke up, isn't that a little soon? Or maybe it's time to face the fact
Starting point is 04:52:20 that this is over. Let's dive in. Meet Svetlana or Lova. Her friends just called her Lana. She was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. Details about her early life or family are scarce, but we do know her mom's name was Tamara Orlova. Tamara and Lana were close, that much is clear. From Tomorrow, we get a glimpse of Lana's personality, she was cheerful, positive, and hardworking. In the late 90s, Lana packed her bags and moved from Russia to Spain, aiming to carve out a better life.
Starting point is 04:52:52 She landed in Alicante. At first, it wasn't easy. She stayed at a hostel, the cheapest she could find, and struggled to find work. Eventually, though, she scored a job in hospitality. Her colleagues and bosses liked her, she managed to save a little money, and soon after, she met a man. She fell hard. Sources are split on his name, some say Raphael, others don't bother to mention it, but what
Starting point is 04:53:17 we do know is that he worked as a security guard at a shopping center. He was tall, fit, and loved going to the gym. Apparently, they hit it off quickly. Some accounts say they got married, while others skipped the wedding part entirely. What's clear is that they had a son named Christian. and moved into an apartment near San Juan Beach. Life seemed good, or so it appeared from the outside. When Christian was still a baby, Lana's mom, Tamara, visited from Russia to meet her grandson.
Starting point is 04:53:46 Neighbors often saw them strolling around, chatting happily. On the surface, everything seemed perfect. But behind closed doors, cracks were forming. Lana looked happy but also sad, a strange mix that neighbors couldn't quite explain. Her husband was hardly around, and when he was, trouble wasn't far behind. He had a knack for picking fights with neighbors, while Lana stayed quiet and low profile. Despite her quiet nature, those who did get to know Lana found her sweet and kind. She loved dogs and would always stop to pet them.
Starting point is 04:54:19 Still, her sadness didn't go unnoticed. Neighbors suspected something was off but had no proof of abuse. One neighbor, who knew Lana and her son well, described Christian as polite and respectful. kids in the neighborhood, however, didn't play with him. Their parents didn't let them because Lana was a foreigner. Over time, Lana's relationship with her partner ended. After the breakup, neighbors noticed her with a new man. This is where things get murky. Some say they got together while both were single, others claimed they started seeing each other while still with their respective partners. Regardless, Lana seemed happier at first. Her new boyfriend
Starting point is 04:54:57 was Ricardo Antonio Navarro Romero, born March 27, 1977. Ricardo worked as a butcher and, according to neighbors, had a personality eerily similar to Lana's ex, rough and domineering. At first, things looked promising. Lana appeared happy, even radiant. But by 2004, her life took another turn. She and Christian moved into Ricardo's home after allegedly being evicted. Initially, she seemed optimistic about the relationship,
Starting point is 04:55:25 but Ricardo's dark side soon emerged, along with issues from his family. According to one of Lana's closest friends, a Russian businessman named Eugene Lagan, Ricardo was possessive to the point of obsession. He needed to know where she was, who she was with, and when she'd be back. It was suffocating. One of Lana's friends recounted running into her at a store after a long time. Excited, he tried to hug her, but she froze and asked him not to touch her. Ricardo was watching, she said, and any contact with another man, even a friend, would lead
Starting point is 04:55:58 to trouble at home. Unfortunately, Ricardo wasn't the only source of her misery. His parents also treated her poorly. Ricardo's mom referred to Lana as the woman who would ruin her son, and his dad allegedly made threats. There were times when Lana tried to escape. Once, she fled to a friend's house with Christian. followed, argued his way in, and hit Lana in the face so hard she bled, all in front of
Starting point is 04:56:23 her friend and her son. Despite this, Lana returned to him. Maybe she believed his promises to change. Maybe she was too scared to leave for good. Neighbors began noticing disturbing signs. Lana would flee the house in her pajamas, dragging Christian along with a suitcase, only to return shortly after. Ricardo always managed to talk her into coming back. To outsiders, it seemed like a cycle of promises, apologies, and more violence. By 2007, Lana had had enough. She opened up to her friends about the abuse and told her mother she wanted to escape to Russia with Christian. The problem?
Starting point is 04:57:01 Her ex-husband wouldn't agree to let her take their son. Without Christian, she wouldn't leave. Still, the thought lingered, she needed to get out. Somehow, Ricardo found out about her plans. Perhaps he overheard, or maybe someone told him. Either way, he took her documents and locked her in the house. That was the final straw. On March 30th, 2007, Lana went to the police and filed a complaint against Ricardo, also requesting a restraining order.
Starting point is 04:57:30 It seemed like a turning point, but then, days later, she withdrew the complaint. No one knows why. Months passed. On October 15, 2007, Lana called her friend Eugene in a panic. Please, save my life, she begged. Without hesitation, Eugen drove to pick her and Christian up. Details about what happened that day are unclear, but it's believed Ricardo assaulted her again. This time, she didn't back down.
Starting point is 04:57:57 She filed another complaint, and on October 31st, Ricardo was sentenced to an 11-month prison term and a 500-meter restraining order. But there was a catch, the sentence wasn't official until Ricardo was notified, and the police couldn't find him. He was always one step ahead. While the legal system struggled to catch Ricardo, Lana's life became a nightmare. Wherever she went, he was there. She started to believe he had put a GPS tracker on her phone.
Starting point is 04:58:25 To escape his constant surveillance, she changed her appearance, cutting her hair, dying it black, and altering her wardrobe. Despite her efforts, the fear never left her. She thought maybe, just maybe, he'd eventually get tired of stalking her. But she was wrong. One day, Lana received an invitation to appear on a popular TV show, L. Diario de Patricia. The program often reunited loved ones, and with her mother's birthday approaching, Lana assumed it was a surprise from tomorrow. Even the show's producers hinted at a family reunion, so she agreed to participate. On November 14, Lana arrived at the studio. She was excited, believing she'd
Starting point is 04:59:04 see her mother. But when the moment came, she was blindsided. Instead of tomorrow, Ricardo walked onto the stage. He proposed to her on live TV with the audience cheering and clapping. Lana's discomfort was palpable. She said no, clearly and firmly. Yet, the damage was done. She had been publicly humiliated and betrayed by a show that failed to investigate Ricardo's background or consider her safety. For days later, Lana's life came to a tragic end. On November 18, 2007, Ricardo repeatedly called her. When she didn't answer, he went to her apartment building, asking neighbors where, the Russian woman, lived. Eventually, someone opened the door without question.
Starting point is 04:59:48 Ricardo stormed in, shouting. A neighbor heard screams and called the police, but it was too late. Ricardo stabbed Lana multiple times. She was rushed to the hospital but died the next day, November 19th. That same night, police went to Ricardo's parents' house. Ricardo claimed he had spent the evening with them, and they backed him up. But the police noticed cuts on his hands. When questioned, Ricardo said he'd injured himself cutting cheese.
Starting point is 05:00:15 The excuse didn't hold up. A search of his home revealed blood evidence, and on November 20th, he was arrested. The case quickly gained national attention, largely because of the infamous TV appearance. People were outraged. How could the show invite a known abuser without checking his history? Why hadn't anyone intervened? The incident sparked a broader conversation about domestic violence and media responsibility in Spain. On March 6, 2009, Ricardo was convicted of murder and sentenced to 21 years in prison,
Starting point is 05:00:47 19 for Lana's murder and 2 for continuous abuse. The producers of El Diario de Patricia publicly admitted that Lana had no idea Ricardo would be there, though they defended their vetting process. The show's director claimed they asked both parties if there were any legal issues or restraining orders, and Lana reportedly said no. Still, the public wasn't satisfied. So, what do you think? Could this tragedy have been prevented?
Starting point is 05:01:12 In just a few minutes, he sketched a portrait of Lindsay. Beneath the drawing, he signed his name, Tatsuya Ichihashi, along with his email and phone number. As he said goodbye to the girls, he asked Lindsay to call him before he left. When Lindsay's roommates heard about this interaction, they were stunned. They couldn't believe she had led a stranger like that into their apartment. They told her she was reckless, asking what on earth she was thinking by inviting a potential psychopath into their home.
Starting point is 05:01:40 Lindsay and Hawker was born on December 30, 1984, in Coventry, England. She was one of three daughters in the Hawker family, children of Julia and William Hawker, better known as Bill. The Hawker family was close-knit, often spending quality time together. Lindsay and her sisters, Lisa and Louise, grew up in a loving environment filled with shared adventures. They went on outings, picnics, and holidays, with a particular love for traveling, a passion Lindsay inherited and carried into her adult life. Described by everyone as an outstanding young woman, Lindsay excelled in all aspects of life. She was ambitious and
Starting point is 05:02:17 full of enthusiasm, always looking for ways to grow and achieve. Her academic achievements were a testament to her determination. Lindsay attended King Henry the eighth school in Coventry, graduating with excellent grades. But her true academic brilliance shown later. In 2006, she graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in biology, earning first-class honors, the highest distinction possible in England. Her hard work and dedication paid off, making her one of the top students in her class. Initially, Lindsay planned to pursue a master's degree, but she was burnt out from years of intense studying. She wanted to advance her education but also longed to explore the world. After discussing it with
Starting point is 05:02:58 her parents, she decided to take a break and travel before continuing her studies. Lindsay's plan was to work in different countries, experience new cultures, meet new people, and broaden her horizons. Adding to the excitement, she intended to do this with her boyfriend, Ryan Garcide. The couple had been together for about four years, but their studies had always taken precedence, leaving them little time to explore the world together. Their dream was to move to Japan, but Ryan's obligations delayed their plans. Some accounts suggest he was tied up with his studies, while others claim work commitments
Starting point is 05:03:31 were the issue. Regardless, Ryan wouldn't be able to travel until the summer of 2007. He asked Lindsay to wait so they could embark on the journey together, but she was eager to start her adventure. She couldn't wait another six months, risk finding no work, or miss out on the opportunity entirely. So, she decided to go to Japan on her own, planning for Ryan to join her later. Lindsay discovered an opening to teach English at Nova, Japan's largest private language school. After completing the necessary paperwork, she moved to Tokyo in October 2006. Though she was completely alone, she adapted remarkably well. Lindsay quickly became friends with her two flatmates, and the school staff adored her.
Starting point is 05:04:13 Her dedication to her students set her apart. She not only taught them English but stayed after class to help those who needed extra support. Her cheerful and kind nature made her beloved by her peers and students alike. Outside of work, Lindsay built a social circle, making friends and enjoying Tokyo's vibrant lifestyle. She maintained daily contact with her family, sending emails, chatting on Facebook, and having Skype calls. Lindsay's parents were reassured by her constant communication, though they still worried. Tokyo was, by all accounts, incredibly safe. Lindsay often said she could walk alone at night or through quiet alleys without fear.
Starting point is 05:04:52 She was impressed by the politeness and respectfulness of the people she encountered. However, her parents repeatedly urged her to stay cautious, reminding her that dangers could be found anywhere. Lindsay always reassured them, even joking that she knew martial arts and could defend herself if necessary. On the morning of Sunday, March 25, 2007, Lindsay prepared for her day. She had a lesson with a student at a coffee shop before heading to the academy. After packing her bag, she said goodbye to her roommates, hopped on her bicycle, and left. Hours passed, and Lindsay didn't return home. As evening approached, her roommates became concerned.
Starting point is 05:05:30 By nightfall, they decided to file a missing person report at the local police station. However, the official version of events suggests the police mishandled the case, failing to notify the proper department and effectively dismissing the report. Unofficially, there's speculation that Lindsay's status as a foreigner worked against her. Foreign women, especially those working in hospitality or entertainment, were often dismissed by authorities, who stereotypically labeled them as hostesses. In Japan, hostesses work in bars, engaging with customers to encourage them to spend more. While the job itself is entirely respectable, hostesses often face stigma. When one goes missing, the police reportedly don't prioritize the case, assuming the woman left
Starting point is 05:06:11 willingly or dismissing the situation entirely. Lindsay's roommate's efforts to report her missing were met with skepticism, and their concerns were brushed aside. The next day, Lindsay's absence became more concerning. She missed work, an unusual occurrence for someone as responsible as her. By 2.30 p.m., Nova contacted her parents, asking if they knew where she was or if she had mentioned any problems. Panic set in as her family realized something was terribly wrong.
Starting point is 05:06:38 Lindsay's father, Bill, immediately booked flights to Tokyo. for himself and Ryan, determined to find his daughter. Meanwhile, the Academy filed a formal police report, which carried more weight given Nova's prestige in Japan. The police began investigating, piecing together Lindsay's last known movements. Although nothing seemed unusual on March 25th itself, unsettling details emerged from the days leading up to her disappearance. On the night of March 21st, Lindsay had gone out with friends to a bar called Hippie Dippy Dippy. They had a great time, enjoying drinks and laughing. after before heading home early since everyone had commitments the next day.
Starting point is 05:07:15 Lindsay took a train back alone, walking along the platform when a man approached her. He claimed to be one of her students, praising her teaching and expressing admiration. But Lindsay didn't recognize him. She knew all her students and was confident she'd never seen this man before. Politely, she explained he must be mistaken, excused herself, and left. As she biked home, Lindsay noticed the same man following her. she peddled faster, but he caught up to her as she reached her apartment. Once again, he insisted he was a fan of her teaching, nearly idolizing her.
Starting point is 05:07:49 Lindsay firmly told him she didn't know him and asked him to leave her alone. The man was persistent, claiming he wanted to learn English, travel abroad, and improve himself. Lindsay reiterated that she only taught at the academy, not privately, and urged him to leave. He then asked for a glass of water, saying he was parched. Lindsay hesitated but felt reassured knowing her roommates were home. She decided it was safe to let him in. Once inside, the man drank his water and asked for paper and a pencil. In just a few minutes, he sketched a portrait of Lindsay, signing it with his contact information.
Starting point is 05:08:24 Introducing himself as Tatsuya Ichihashi, he thanked her for the water, said goodbye, and left. When Lindsay's roommates learned about this, they were horrified. They couldn't believe she had let such a strange man into their home after he had followed. followed and harassed her. They warned her to stay away from him, emphasizing how dangerous he seemed. Lindsay, however, felt sorry for him. Against their advice, she agreed to meet Tatsuya on March 25th to give him a private lesson. To ensure her safety, she arranged to meet him in a busy public place, a coffee shop. Although there are no photos of the exact location, it's believed to have been one of the Doder Cafe branches. Let me tell you a story that sounds straight out of a crime thriller,
Starting point is 05:09:05 but sadly, it's real. I stumbled upon some details that had me spiraling down a rabbit hole of disbelief. The story begins with Lindsay Hawker, an English teacher living in Japan. Her life took a tragic turn, one that shocked not just Japan but the entire world. First, let's address a quirky detail. People were hunting for images of a cafe, the place Lindsay visited before her disappearance. Strangely, no solid visuals came up. However, two similar names popped up, La Caffe Doubter and Simply Doubtor.
Starting point is 05:09:38 Are they the same place? Nobody's sure, but it's worth mentioning. Before vanishing, Lindsay posted something odd on Facebook. It said, I love you all. Don't worry about that guy who followed me the other day, Japan is crazy. I miss you. Kisses. Cryptic, right?
Starting point is 05:09:58 But soon, the police would uncover the layers of this horrifying tale. When Lindsay's friends handed over the sketch, complete with a name, email, phone number, and more, the police immediately got to work. They reviewed surveillance footage from the cafe. What they found was Erie. Early that morning, Lindsay and a man named Totsuya Ichihashi had met at the cafe. At first glance, it seemed like a casual meetup. They ordered food, sat down, and chatted. Lindsay appeared to be tutoring Tatsuya, who acted attentive, at least for a while.
Starting point is 05:10:30 Then, something odd happened. Totsuya rummaged through his pockets and pretended he didn't have his wallet. No money meant no payment, for the food or Lindsay's lesson. You could see the discomfort on Lindsay's face. She glanced nervously at the waiter, then at other customers, probably wishing she could vanish. Minutes later, the two left the cafe and hopped into a taxi parked outside. And that's where things started to spiral into darkness. The big question now, who was this Totsuya Ichashi?
Starting point is 05:11:00 Shockingly, the police figured it out in hours, and it wasn't what anyone expected. Tatsuya Ichihashi was born on January 5, 1979, in Gifu Prefecture. His parents, a dentist and a doctor, gave him a comfortable, stable upbringing. He lacked for nothing financially. He graduated in 2005 from Chiba University with a degree in horticulture. Sounds like a decent start, right? Not so much. By all accounts, Tatsuya wasn't a typical student.
Starting point is 05:11:32 Former classmates described him as a loner who rarely spoke to anyone. Instead, he spent his days engrossed in violent manga. Things got weirder when he was caught harassing a female classmate. The university issued him a warning. After graduation, Tatsuya didn't pursue a career in horticulture. Heck, he didn't pursue anything. He had no direction and no ambition. His parents, perhaps too indulgent, rented him a small apart
Starting point is 05:11:58 in Ichikawa, Chiba, and gave him a monthly allowance of 100,000 yen. Picture this, a grown man being pampered like a child, doing nothing productive. Tatsuya had no criminal record but did have a shady past. Six years earlier, a woman had accused him of assault and attempted robbery. The charges were serious, but his wealthy parents hired a top-notch lawyer and settled out of court. By the time he turned 28, Tatsuya was coasting through life. He spent his days at the gym, cycling 25. kilometers daily, and dabbling in martial arts, he was even a black belt. To outsiders,
Starting point is 05:12:34 he might have seemed ordinary. But beneath the surface, there was darkness. One day, Tatsuya's obsession began. He spotted Lindsay, a beautiful Englishwoman, and became infatuated. She was always smiling, carrying an academy folder, and exuded an energy that drew him in. But instead of approaching her like a normal person, Tatsuya turned into a stalker. He studied her routine, found out where she lived, and who she lived with. One day, he approached her on a train. Lindsay was startled, understandably. She got off the train, hopped on her bike, and peddled home. But Tatsuya followed her. His intentions weren't just creepy, they were terrifying. Here's where things get truly disturbing. After cornering Lindsay, Tatsuya claimed he
Starting point is 05:13:20 wanted to learn English and asked her to be his tutor. He even handed her a sketch of her own face, along with his contact details. He was patient, waiting for her to respond. When Lindsay told her friends about the incident, they brushed it off as an innocent crush. Nobody thought to call the police. In hindsight, this was a grave mistake. The police pieced together the events leading up to Lindsay's disappearance. Two officers visited Tatsuya's apartment to ask him some questions. Meanwhile, another team tracked down the taxi driver who had picked up Lindsay and Totsuya. The driver's account was chilling. On the morning of March 25th, Lindsay and Totsuya got into his taxi. Totsuya apologized profusely, promising to pay the fare
Starting point is 05:14:04 once they reached his place. Lindsay appeared uneasy, but the driver didn't think much of it. When they arrived at Totsuya's apartment, Lindsay asked the driver to wait, repeating several times that she wouldn't be long. Seven minutes passed, and the driver, impatient, drove off without her. By March 26th, the police were certain something was wrong. Two officers staked out Tatsuya's apartment. They had no physical evidence, so they couldn't force their way in. But they knew he was inside. Lights off, curtains drawn, yet there was movement.
Starting point is 05:14:37 When they knocked, he didn't answer. They called for backup. By 7 p.m., nine officers surrounded the building. But Tatsuya escaped, slipping out through a fire escape with a backpack. The police chased him but couldn't keep up. Frustrated, they searched his apartment. What they found was horrifying. The place was a mess, with bloodstains in several rooms.
Starting point is 05:15:01 Lindsay's belongings, including the clothes she wore when she disappeared, were in Totsuyus room. But the most gruesome discovery was on the balcony, a bathtub filled with soil. Inside, they found Lindsay's lifeless body. Forensic experts pieced together what had happened. On March 25, Tatsuya had attacked Lindsay as soon as they entered his apartment. She fought back, she knew martial arts, but he overpowered her, strangling her in a fit of rage. After killing her, he shaved her head and placed her body in the bathtub. The next day, he bought soil and compost, covering her remains.
Starting point is 05:15:37 Neighbors heard noises, dragging sounds, thuds, but didn't think to intervene. Totsuya even tried to accelerate decomposition by sprinkling chemicals over the soil. His plan was grotesque, let the body decompose and dispose of the remains later. But the police acted faster than he anticipated. Lindsay's murder devastated her family. Her parents were haunted by guilt. Her mother couldn't bring herself to bathe for two years. Her sisters lost not just a sibling but their best friend.
Starting point is 05:16:07 Tokyo was plastered with 30,000 posters of Totsuya's face. The media covered the case extensively, but the manhunt dragged on for years. By 2008, the police had received 8,000 tips but were no closer to catching him. Meanwhile, Tatsuya's family faced scrutiny. They had enabled his lifestyle, paying his rent and expenses. His mother eventually made a public apology, begging her son to surrender. But Tatsuya remained elusive. Incredibly, he gained a twisted fan base.
Starting point is 05:16:38 Some people admired him for evading capture. They shared his photos online, calling him attractive. It was sickening. Then, in October 2009, a breakthrough came. A beauty clinic in Nagoya contacted the police. A man had come in for rhinoplasty, and his scars and moles matched Tatsuya's description. The clinic provided before and after photos. The police distributed these images nationwide.
Starting point is 05:17:04 On November 10, a passerby spotted Tatsuya waiting for a ferry and called the authorities. Finally, he was arrested. Tatsuya's trial was emotion. Lindsay's family wanted the death penalty, but the court sentenced him to life imprisonment. They believed he could reform. However, Tatsuya's actions post-trial showed otherwise. He wrote a book detailing his crime, his two years on the run, and his surgeries. It became a bestseller.
Starting point is 05:17:32 He promised to donate the proceeds to Lindsay's family, but they rejected the offer. To them, the book was an insult. If that wasn't enough, in 2013, a movie based on Totsuyus book was a book was a movie based on Totsuyus book was released. The producers claimed it focused on his internal struggle, but Lindsay's family saw it as exploitation. A friend of the family summed it up, how would you feel
Starting point is 05:17:53 if your daughter's killer turned her death into entertainment? The case raises tough questions. Should Tatsuya have been allowed to profit from his crime? Does the justice system's leniency encourage such behavior? And what about the people who idolized him? One thing certain, Lindsay's
Starting point is 05:18:09 story is a tragic reminder of how dangerous obsession can be. The unraveling of a tragedy, the shocking story of Shana Hubbers. In October 2012, a fateful night led to a case that gripped the nation with its bizarre twists and chilling revelations. Shana Hubers, a 21-year-old college graduate, placed a desperate 911 call that would forever change her life and spark a debate that still lingers, was it self-defense, or was it cold-blooded murder? The 911 call that started it all, the call came through just after 8.30 p.m. on October 12, 2012.
Starting point is 05:18:43 Shana's voice was frantic yet oddly composed as she explained to the dispatcher what had happened. She claimed her boyfriend, Ryan Poston, had attacked her, slammed her into furniture, and humiliated her. In the heat of the moment, he allegedly reached for a gun. In her version, she acted in self-defense, resting the weapon from his grasp and firing it. But there was an immediate dissonance between her words and the reality officers would soon
Starting point is 05:19:07 discover. Ryan's body bore not one, not two, but six gunshot wounds. Five of those shots had already incapacitated him, but Shana had apparently fired a final, fatal round directly into his face. This detail alone set off alarms for investigators. When police arrived, they found a chaotic but curiously inconsistent scene. Shana had claimed there had been a struggle, yet nothing in the apartment suggested a violent altercation. Furniture remained unmoved, and no signs of the supposed physical. fight were evident. She described herself as terrified, yet she showed no visible injuries.
Starting point is 05:19:43 When offered a medical evaluation, she refused outright. An interrogation unlike any other. Once at the police station, Shana requested a lawyer, effectively halting any direct questioning. Yet, bizarrely, she didn't stop talking. Over the next three hours, Shana delivered an unprompted, uninterrupted monologue. She spoke about Ryan, their relationship, the shooting, and even seemingly trivial details. She laughed, cried, sang, and recounted memories, some irrelevant, some damning. At one point, she eerily joked about Ryan's desire to have cosmetic surgery. He wanted a nose job, she said with a giggle.
Starting point is 05:20:22 I gave him one. Detectives watched in disbelief as she oscillated between grief and casual indifference. Her behavior was erratic, oscillating from foe sobbing to outright gloating. She even mused aloud, I wondered if anyone will ever. marry me knowing I killed my boyfriend, a twisted relationship. To understand what led to that night, investigators had to dig into Shana and Ryan's tumultuous relationship. Ryan Poston was a 29-year-old attorney with a bright future. Charismatic and successful, he had a reputation for being ambitious but somewhat reserved in his personal life. Shana, on the other hand,
Starting point is 05:20:56 was younger, vibrant, and deeply infatuated with him. However, friends and family described their dynamic as toxic. Ryan reportedly tried to end the relationship several times, but Shana resisted, often showing up uninvited or flooding him with text messages. Some messages bordered on obsession, while others hinted at her emotional instability. Ryan confided in friends that he felt trapped and even fearful of Shana, describing her behavior as erratic and possessive. The night of the murder. On the night of October 12, Ryan had plans to meet Miss Ohio, a woman he had recently started seeing. Shana was aware of this. and reportedly visited his apartment to confront him.
Starting point is 05:21:35 What exactly transpired in those final moments remains a matter of dispute, but the aftermath was undeniably brutal. Ryan lay dead, his body riddled with bullets. Shana's initial account painted Ryan as the aggressor, but inconsistencies quickly emerged. She claimed self-defense, yet the autopsy revealed that some of the shots were fired while Ryan was already incapacitated. Furthermore, she admitted during her rambling confession that she had shot him even after he had fallen. I couldn't bear to see him suffer, she rationalized, a statement that only added to the
Starting point is 05:22:07 chilling nature of the case. The trial of Shana Hoobers. The trial began on April 13, 2015, and Shana's defense was clear, she was a victim of domestic abuse, acting in self-defense against an unstable, violent partner. Her attorneys argued that Ryan had a history of psychological issues exacerbated by medications such as Xanax and Adderall. They claimed these drugs, known to cause mood swings in rare cases, may have been a lot of pushed him to the edge. The prosecution, however, painted a starkly different picture.
Starting point is 05:22:38 They described Shana as a jealous and obsessive ex-girlfriend who couldn't accept rejection. To support their case, they presented damning text messages and witness testimonies. Friends of Ryan testified about Shana's relentless harassment, including instances where she entered his home without permission. A former cellmate of Shainas even claimed she had bragged about the murder, calling it, the ultimate way to keep someone from leaving. One particularly chilling piece of evidence was a series of text messages Shana had sent to Friends weeks before the murder. In these messages, she joked about taking Ryan to a shooting range and accidentally shooting him. Though her defense dismissed these as dark humor, they painted a sinister picture of premeditation.
Starting point is 05:23:18 The verdict and a shocking turn of events. After five hours of deliberation, the jury found Shana Hoobar's guilty of murder and sentenced her to 40 years in prison. But the case was far from over. It was later discovered that one of the jurors was a convicted felon, rendering the trial invalid under Kentucky law. A retrial was scheduled for August 2018. In the second trial, Shana took the stand in her own defense. This time, her story evolved. She alleged that her father had abused her as a child, drawing parallels between him and Ryan.
Starting point is 05:23:51 She claimed Ryan often humiliated her, pressured her to undergo cosmetic surgery, and coerced her into unwanted situations. The defense also introduced a psychological evaluation diagnosed. Shana with borderline personality disorder, arguing this explained her erratic behavior. Despite these efforts, the jury remained unconvinced. On August 28, 2018, Shana was convicted again, this time receiving a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 20 years. She will be eligible for release in 2032. Life behind bars, even in prison, Shana continued to make headlines.
Starting point is 05:24:27 In 2018, she married a fellow inmate, Unique Taylor, though the marriage ended in divorce less than a year later. Shana has since given multiple interviews, expressing remorse for her actions and claiming to have changed. She often speaks about her faith, her hopes for the future, and her regret over the choices that led her to this point. Public reactions and lingering questions, the case of Shana Hoobers remains polarizing. Some see her as a manipulative murderer who carefully orchestrated Ryan's death,
Starting point is 05:24:55 while others view her as a deeply troubled young woman pushed to the brink by a toxic relationship. The contradictions in her behavior, her laughter during interrogation, her inconsistent stories, and her courtroom antics, leave room for debate. Did Shana act in self-defense, as she claimed, or was this a calculated act of jealousy? The truth likely lies somewhere in between, obscured by the complexities of human emotion and the tragic consequences of a relationship gone horribly wrong. At its core, this case serves as a stark reminder of how love can turn into obsession and how unresolved conflicts can spiral into irreversible actions. As Shana Hoobers continues to serve her sentence, the legacy of her actions lingers,
Starting point is 05:25:35 a chilling tale of love, loss, and the lengths to which some will go when pushed to the edge. How it all began, a chilling February night. It all started on the night of February 19, 2015, when Samantha Nicole Wolford, a 26-year-old mother, and her husband, Ernie Ibarra, 29, were winding down from a long, tiring day. Samantha had spent hours at the hospital visiting her best friend, while Ernie had been busy with work. At around 2 a.m., Samantha's life took a turn straight out of a horror movie. Three masked strangers burst into their home. They stormed into the master bedroom, tied Samantha's hands behind her back, assaulted Ernie, and then kidnapped him. The scene was chaos, the kind of chaos no one could have anticipated. In the quiet stillness that
Starting point is 05:26:19 followed, Samantha, trembling with fear and bound at the wrists, managed to reach her phone. Using her nose, she dialed her mother's number. Through panicked sobs and gasps, she told her mother what had just happened. However, her mother, unable to help directly from afar, called Samantha's sister, Ginger, and asked her to check on the situation. When Ginger arrived, she found the house eerily quiet but full of unanswered questions. There were no visible signs of forced entry, the kids were still asleep, and the chaos Samantha described didn't entirely match what Ginger saw. What had really happened that night?
Starting point is 05:26:55 Who was Samantha Woolford? Born in Texas in 1989, Samantha was the eldest of three daughters. From an early age, she was charismatic and craved attention. Samantha was the type who could light up a room, or demand the spotlight, wherever she went. Her personality was outgoing, colorful, and sometimes eccentric, which was mirrored in her ever-changing hairstyles and dramatic makeup. But Samantha didn't just want attention, she wanted fame. And not just the kind you get in your hometown, she dreamed big. Samantha wanted to be a Hollywood star, a household name recognized by fans and admired on the streets. Her ambitions were clear from the start, and she made no secret of them.
Starting point is 05:27:35 By the time she hit her teenage years, Samantha began embracing a bold, unique style. Tattoos, vibrant hair colors, and elaborate makeup became part of her identity. She wasn't afraid to stand out, which often worked. worked to her advantage. Yet, her dreams of fame took a back seat when she became pregnant at the age of 18. Samantha gave birth to twins, and the father, young and unprepared, abandoned her soon after. It was a harsh reality check, but Samantha adapted. She juggled multiple jobs while taking care of her children and trying to finish her studies. Yet, as some sources have pointed out, Samantha may have exaggerated the hardships she faced. Though she claimed to
Starting point is 05:28:15 have balanced school and three jobs at one point, many doubted this was realistic. Nonetheless, this narrative became part of her identity, a single mom hustling to make ends meet. Meeting Ernie, love at first like, Samantha's social media addiction wasn't just a pastime, it was her world. She was active on platforms like MySpace, Facebook, and eventually YouTube, constantly updating her profiles, sharing pictures, and crafting a persona that reflected her aspirations. It was through Facebook that Samantha met Ernest Ernie Ibarra Jr., a tech-savvy 25-year-old who had a knack for fixing computers and a passion for gaming. Ernie, born on December 25, 1985, in Mount Pleasant, Texas, was one of three siblings. Described by his family as
Starting point is 05:29:00 intelligent, resourceful, and kind, Ernie had a quiet, focused nature. He loved tinkering with gadgets and could assemble and disassemble a computer with ease. He was a problem-solver by nature, a man who cared deeply for those he loved. The two hit it off immediately. After chatting online for weeks, their first date was fittingly unconventional, at a tattoo studio owned by Samantha's father. Things moved quickly from there. Within weeks, they were living together,
Starting point is 05:29:28 and Ernie embraced Samantha's twins as his own. Samantha's second shot at love, and YouTube stardom. Their relationship wasn't just a personal triumph for Samantha, it was social media gold. She began documenting her life with Ernie, uploading videos to YouTube and sharing snapshots of their seemingly picture-perfect life. She portrayed Ernie as the ideal partner, supportive, loving, and ready to adopt her twins. In 2011, the couple decided to have a child together.
Starting point is 05:29:56 Fate, however, had another surprise in store, Samantha became pregnant with twins again. Suddenly, their small family of four grew to six, and life got significantly more complicated. Ernie stepped up, taking on two jobs to support the growing family. Meanwhile, Samantha stayed home to care for the kids, a decision they initially agreed was temporary. But as time went on, Samantha's focus shifted from her family to her social media ambitions. YouTube dreams, real-life neglect, Samantha poured her heart and soul into her YouTube channel. She uploaded Vlogs daily, hoping to build a following and finally achieve the fame she had always craved. At first, her videos were lighthearted and random, makeup tutorials, daily life updates, and personal anecdotes.
Starting point is 05:30:41 When that didn't gain traction, she pivoted to hot-button topics and even controversial subjects. One video, in particular, caught attention. Inspired by a trend at the time, Samantha created a heartfelt clip using Q cards to tell her story of overcoming hardship. The message was uplifting, urging viewers to seek help and never lose hope. But many saw it as an attention grab, accusing her of exploiting sensitive issues for views. The more time Samantha spent online, the less time she devoted to her family. Ernie, who had never been a fan of her social media obsession, grew increasingly frustrated. The kids weren't getting the attention they needed, and the house was often in disarray.
Starting point is 05:31:22 Samantha's obsession with her channel became a point of contention between them, especially when she began involving the children in her videos. The tragedy of Sandra and the boys with knives, it all started on a quiet Friday night, May 16, 2003. Sandra Palo, a 22-year-old woman from Hatofa, Spain, was out with her boyfriend, and Tony and their mutual friend, Juan Alberto. It was a night like any other, a chance to unwind during Madrid's festive San Isidro celebrations. Yet, for Sandra, there was a pressing reason to head home early.
Starting point is 05:31:54 The next day was her younger brother Ismail's first communion, a family milestone, and she promised her parents she'd help with the morning preparations. Her plan was simple, stay out for a little while, then return home. I won't stay out late, Sandra had assured her mother. But as the night stretched on, those plans unraveled. By 2 a.m., Sandra was still out and called her mother to explain she'd be home soon. It was a promise she meant to keep but tragically couldn't. Hours later, Sandra's lifeless body was discovered.
Starting point is 05:32:25 The shocking murder that followed became one of the most harrowing cases in Spain's criminal history. Sandra's life, joy and struggle, Sandra Palo was born on January 22, 1981, in Hatofa. The eldest of three children, she grew up in a loving family that adored her warm spirit and resilience. Sandra's childhood was marked by both joy and challenges. At a young age, she battled meningitis, a severe illness that threatened her life but left no permanent damage. However, when she was 10, another tragedy struck. While on a drive with her father and younger sister near the Alberg River, Sandra was involved in a horrific car accident. The crash left her severely injured, with a sunken skull fracture and a deep scar above her left eyebrow.
Starting point is 05:33:09 Doctors doubted her survival, but Sandra pulled through with incredible strength. Though she survived, her injuries left her with a mild intellectual disability, causing her cognitive development to stall at a younger age. Despite this, Sandra was cheerful and optimistic, finding joy in the little things. However, her school years were a nightmare. Sandra became the target of relentless bullying. Classmates mocked her for her scars and disability, often tearing her clothes, vandalizing her belongings, and leaving her in tears. Every day, Sandra came home sobbing, her pain clear to her family.
Starting point is 05:33:44 Her parents reported the abuse to the school, but little was done. Over time, Sandra learned to shield herself from the cruelty by listening to music on her Walkman, a refuge from the harsh world around her. After finishing school, Sandra found solace in a vocational program for individuals with disabilities in Madrid. There, she made friends who appreciated her kind heart, including Juan Alberto, who became one of her closest confidance, and Antonio, her boyfriend. Life seemed brighter, and Sandra was finally finding her place in the world. May 16, 2003, the last night. That Friday, Sandra was excited to celebrate the San Isidro Festival.
Starting point is 05:34:23 She spent the evening with Antonio and Juan Alberto, enjoying the festivities. But as the clock struck 2 a.m., the buses stopped running, and Sandra found herself stranded with Juan Alberto at Plaza Elyptica in Carabantial. Determined to make it home, she called her mother to explain the delay and promised she'd return as soon as possible. While Sandra and Juan Alberto walked toward Hatofa, their night took a dark turn. A green Citron Z-X pulled up beside them, carrying four young men who would soon commit an unspeakable crime. Inside the car were Francisco Javier Astorga Luka, 18, Ramon Santiago Jimenez, 17, Jose Ramon Manzano Manzano, 17, and Raphael Garcia Fernandez,
Starting point is 05:35:04 14, a gang of juvenile delinquents known as La Bonda del Chupit. The gang, a history of violence. The four teenagers were no strangers to trouble. Known for their arrogance and repeated offenses, they had terrorized their community for years. Thief, vandalism, drug abuse, and assaults were their trademarks. Despite their rap sheets, they flaunted their immunity under Spain's juvenile justice system, believing their youth made them untouchable. Raphael Garcia Fernandez, nicknamed El Rafida, was especially notorious despite being only 14 years old. When the gang spotted Sandra and Juan Alberto, they decided to act.
Starting point is 05:35:41 Malagita, the group's leader, reportedly expressed his intention to hook up with Sandra. The gang stopped the car, pulled out knives, and forced both Sandra and Juan Alberto into the vehicle. The nightmare unfolds, after driving a short distance. the gang inexplicably let Juan Alberto go, leaving Sandra alone with her captors. Instead of seeking help immediately, Juan Alberto sent two cryptic text messages to Sandra's mother. The first read, Don't worry, Sandra caught a bus and is on her way home. The second reassured her not to panic. These messages only added to the confusion and delayed any urgent
Starting point is 05:36:17 search efforts. Meanwhile, the gang drove Sandra to a secluded area near the N-401 highway. What followed was a horrifying series of events. Over the next 45 minutes, Sandra endured a brutal assault by the gang members. All but the youngest, Rafida, took turns attacking her. Despite her injuries, Sandra fought back fiercely, leaving scratches on her attackers in a desperate attempt to survive. When the gang realized Sandra could identify them, they decided to kill her. Sandra pleaded for her life, promising she wouldn't report them. She even mentioned her brother's communion the next day, hoping to appeal to their humanity. But her please fell on deaf ears. The gang held Sandra down as Malagita ran her over repeatedly with the car. To ensure no
Starting point is 05:37:03 evidence remained, they drove to a gas station, purchased gasoline, and set Sandra's body on fire. The next morning, a truck driver discovered her charred remains in a ditch. The investigation, Sandra's parents, alarmed by her disappearance, reported her missing early that morning. Hours later, the police arrived with devastating news. Sandra's body had been found. The horrific nature of her murder shocked the community and prompted an intensive police investigation. It didn't take long to identify the perpetrators. Surveillance footage from the gas station showed the gang purchasing gasoline, and witnesses
Starting point is 05:37:39 came forward, recounting how the boys had bragged about the crime. Within days, all four were arrested. A broken justice system, the trial that followed was a painful ordeal. for Sandra's family. The gang showed no remorse, often laughing and joking in the courtroom. Due to Spain's lenient juvenile laws, three of the four received light sentences in juvenile detention centers. Even Malagita, the only adult, received a relatively short prison term. The youngest, Raphita, was sentenced to just four years in a juvenile facility. For Sandra's family, the sentences were a slap in the face. Her mother, Maria Del Mar-Mar Bermudez, became a vocal advocate
Starting point is 05:38:18 for justice reform, campaigning tirelessly for stricter laws to hold juvenile offenders accountable. The case sparked nationwide outrage, with many calling for changes to Spain's juvenile justice system. The legacy of Sandra Palo, two decades later, Sandra's story continues to haunt Spain. Her family's fight for justice has led to significant reforms, including harsher penalties for juvenile offenders. Yet, for her loved ones, the pain of her loss remains. Sandra's life, full of potential and joy, was cut short by senseless violence. But her memory endures, a reminder of the urgent need to protect the vulnerable and demand accountability. The story of Kendra Hatcher and Brenda Delgado is one of obsession, jealousy, and tragedy,
Starting point is 05:39:01 a tangled web that ended in a senseless murder. Let me walk you through it, step by step, because it's both shocking and incredibly unsettling. Buckle up, this one's a roller coaster. It all started back in 2015 when a woman. named Brenda Delgado crossed paths with Ricky Paniagua on Tinder. Brenda was a dental hygienist living in Dallas, Texas, and she quickly fell head over heels for Ricky. He was a successful dermatologist, charming, and everything Brenda thought she wanted.
Starting point is 05:39:31 For a while, things seemed perfect. They dated for about two years, but in early 2015, Ricky decided to call it quits. He told Brenda that their relationship wasn't working out, and honestly, he just didn't see a future with her. Breakups are hard, sure, but for Brenda, this wasn't just a breakup. It was the beginning of a downward spiral. She couldn't let go of Ricky. She clung to the hope that they'd get back together and kept herself involved in his life in every way possible. Using his passwords, which she had somehow obtained during their relationship, Brenda secretly monitored Ricky's social media and email accounts. She watched every move he made, convinced she could win him back.
Starting point is 05:40:10 Enter Kendra Hatcher. Kendra, a 35-year-old pediatric dentist, was everything Brenda wasn't. Born in Illinois, Kendra had an idyllic childhood and was a star in high school. She was captain of the volleyball team, led the cheerleading squad, and was both popular and academically gifted. After high school, she went to dental school, graduated, and married an anesthesiologist named Scott Fisk. They had a comfortable life together, but in 2010, their marriage ended.
Starting point is 05:40:39 That's when Kendra decided to move to Dallas to start fresh. She built a successful career as a pediatric dentist, made good money, and lived in a luxurious apartment complex called Gables Park 17. Kendra was gorgeous, accomplished, and living her best life. She was also exactly the kind of woman Ricky was looking for. When Kendra and Ricky met on Tinder in May 2015, Sparks flew immediately. Their first date was on May 24th at a restaurant called Kasei's Kitchen. From then on, the two were inseparable. Brenda, of course, knew all about it because she was still obsessively monitoring Ricky's accounts.
Starting point is 05:41:17 This time, though, something was different. None of Ricky's previous dates had phased Brenda too much, but Kendra. Kendra was a threat. What really sent Brenda over the edge was how quickly Ricky and Kendra's relationship progressed. Within weeks of dating, Ricky took Kendra on a trip to San Francisco, a trip Brenda had always dreamed of taking with him. He'd always given Brenda excuses for not going, but with Kendra, he didn't hesitate. They even followed a travel itinerary Brenda had once meticulously planned. And as if that weren't enough, their friends on social media started teasing them about getting married.
Starting point is 05:41:53 Ricky and Kendra played along with the comments, and that was the final straw for Brenda. In her mind, Kendra had stolen everything she'd ever wanted. Ricky was supposed to marry her, not some woman he'd only been dating for a few months. Brenda decided that if she couldn't have Ricky, no one could. And as twisted as it sounds, she believed the solution was simple, Kendra Hatcher had to go. Now, Brenda wasn't about to get her hands dirty herself. She started looking for someone else to do the job. Her first target was her cousin, Moises Martinez.
Starting point is 05:42:25 Moises was struggling financially, and Brenda figured he might be desperate enough to help her. One night, she took him out for dinner and drinks, got him good and drunk, and then brought up the idea of attacking Kendra. She offered him money or even a new car in exchange for threatening Kendra with a baseball bat. Moises thought she was joking. He laughed it off and didn't take her seriously. That plan fizzled out. Next, Brenda turned to her friend Jennifer Escobar.
Starting point is 05:42:52 Jennifer had recently moved in with Brenda because she was also having financial issues. But when Jennifer got settled into Brenda's apartment, she quickly realized something was off. Brenda couldn't stop talking about Ricky. It wasn't normal, it was obsessive and downright creepy. Jennifer started distancing herself from Brenda, but before she could fully cut ties, Brenda pitched her a deal. She offered to buy Jennifer drugs or a car in exchange for killing Kendra. The plan, Brenda said, was straightforward.
Starting point is 05:43:21 Jennifer would knock Ricky out with a baseball bat and then kill Kendra by beating her to death or injecting her with drugs. Jennifer was horrified. She laughed nervously, trying to brush it. off as a joke, but she packed her bags and moved out soon after. That's when Brenda found Crystal Cortez, a 23-year-old single mom with a six-year-old son. Crystal was struggling to make ends meet and saw Brenda as someone to look up to. When Brenda offered her $500 to help kill Kendra, Crystal agreed, but she didn't actually think Brenda was serious. She thought
Starting point is 05:43:53 it was all talk and went along with it just to stay on Brenda's good side. But Brenda wasn't joking. Over time, she manipulated Crystal into driving the getaway car while someone else would pull the trigger. That someone else turned out to be Christopher Love. Christopher Love was a 31-year-old marijuana dealer with big dreams of opening a brothel. But he needed money to make that happen, and he could never seem to save any because he spent it all on drugs. When Brenda offered him $3,000 and drugs to kill Kendra, Christopher agreed. For him, it was an easy payday. Brenda's plan came together on September 2nd, 2015. That day, Brenda borrowed a friend's BMW, claiming her own car had broken down.
Starting point is 05:44:36 When the BMW had issues, she took it to a mechanic she knew named Jose Ortiz, who loaned her a black Jeep Cherokee instead. Brenda and Crystal used the Jeep to pick up Christopher, and the three of them spent the day waiting for Kendra outside her workplace. At one point, Crystal realized she needed to pick up her son from school, so they left to do that and then dropped him off at his grandmother's house before returning to stake out Kendra's building. Around 7.30 p.m., Kendra arrived home. She opened the gate to her apartment complex's parking garage and pulled in, not realizing the black Jeep Cherokee was right behind her. She parked her car, stepped out, and that's when Christopher approached her with a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol. Without warning, he shot her in the head, killing her instantly.
Starting point is 05:45:21 He then grabbed her purse and a waterproof camera she had with her to make it look like a robbery. Crystal and Christopher fled the scene in the Jeep, leaving Kendra's lifeless body in the garage. Meanwhile, Brenda was busy creating the perfect alibi. She spent the day running errands, going to the library, shopping, and even having dinner at a Chili's. She kept receipts and took pictures of everything to prove she wasn't anywhere near the crime scene. But the murder of Kendra Hatcher shocked the Dallas community.
Starting point is 05:45:49 Kendra wasn't just anyone, she was well-loved and respected, and her death made headlines everywhere. The police faced immense pressure to solve the case quickly, and they got to work. Ricky told them about Brenda and her obsessive behavior, which raised red flags. When detectives questioned Brenda, she tried to appear cooperative, even volunteering her alibi without being asked. But her story had inconsistencies, and the police were suspicious. The break in the case came when surveillance footage from the apartment complex's garage showed the black Jeep Cherokee. The police asked the public for help identifying the vehicle, and Jose Ortiz came forward, telling them he'd lent the Jeep to Brenda. That was the link they needed.
Starting point is 05:46:30 Crystal was arrested shortly after, and under pressure, she confessed everything. She told the police about Christopher Love and Brenda's role in orchestrating the murder. Christopher was arrested next, and the evidence against him was overwhelming. DNA linked him to the crime scene, and there were messages and calls between him, Crystal, and Brenda. But when it came time to arrest Brenda, she was nowhere to be found. She had fled to Mexico, using a bus to cross the border before authorities could catch her. For months, Brenda was on the run. In April 2016, the FBI added her to their 10 most wanted fugitives list and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to her capture. Finally, in October
Starting point is 05:47:11 2016, Brenda was found and arrested in Coahuila, Mexico. She was extradited to Texas, where she stood trial for Kendra's murder. In the end, Christopher Love was sentenced to death by lethal injection. Crystal Cortez, who cooperated with authorities, received a 35-year prison sentence. As for Brenda, she was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her obsessive jealousy and inability to move on from Ricky had cost Kendra her life and destroyed multiple others. So, what do you think? Were the sentences fair? This case is a chilling reminder of how dangerous unchecked obsession can be, and it's a tragedy that Kendra's bright future was stolen in such a senseless way. The story begins on October 12,
Starting point is 05:47:57 2012, with a frantic 911 call. A young woman, her voice trembling with panic and desperation, claimed she had killed her boyfriend in self-defense. She explained that a struggle had ensued, she managed to wrestle a gun from him, and then she fired in a moment of sheer terror. When the police arrived, they found a scene that didn't align with her account at all. The home showed no signs of a struggle, no overturned furniture, no scattered belongings, nothing. And to add another layer of suspicion, the woman wasn't even registered as a resident at the address where the incident occurred. This is where the sinister case of Shana Michelle Hoobers truly begins.
Starting point is 05:48:34 The background of Shana Hoobers. Shana was born on April 8, 1991, in Lexington, Kentucky, to Sharon and Robert Hubers. Her childhood, from what little is known, painted a picture of a high-achieving, charming, and outgoing individual. Those who knew her only had positive things to say, she was intelligent, driven, and excelled at nearly everything she attempted. In school, Shana was the type of student who shone in every subject. Whether it was math, literature, or technology, she aced at all. Former classmates like Sarah Robinson recalled Shana as someone who thrived in advanced placement classes and consistently earned top grades. She was not only academically talented but also creative, excelling in music and theater.
Starting point is 05:49:17 Shana had a voice that captivated, and her natural dramatic flair made her a standout performer. But there was a flipped side to her passion. According to Sarah, Shana took everything to extremes, whether it was love or rejection. She was intense, and she didn't handle rejection well. If a boy showed disinterest or ended a relationship with her, Shana would cry, scream, and sometimes even exaggerate events to play. the victim. Rumors started circulating in school that dating her was risky, she was beautiful and intelligent, but some boys avoided her because of her tendency to fabricate stories or overreact. After graduating with honors from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School, Shana
Starting point is 05:49:56 pursued a psychology degree at the University of Kentucky. Once again, she excelled academically and became a standout student. However, despite her academic success and popularity, Shana felt something was missing, a perfect partner to complete her ideal life. Meeting Ryan Carter Poston. Ryan Carter Poston was born on December 30th, 1982, in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, to Lisa Carter and Jay Poston. His parents divorced when he was young, but they maintained an amicable co-parenting relationship.
Starting point is 05:50:26 Ryan grew up surrounded by love and stability, gaining three younger half-sisters, Allison, Catherine, and Elizabeth Carter, through his parents' subsequent marriages. Like Shana, Ryan was a bright and ambitious individual. He attended prestigious schools, including the International School of Manila and the International School of Geneva, before earning a triple major in history, geography, and political science from Indiana University. He later pursued a law degree at Northern Kentucky University and became a respected attorney. In early 2011, Ryan was recovering from a long-term relationship that had ended painfully.
Starting point is 05:51:01 He was focused on building his career and wasn't looking for anything serious. That's when Shana entered his life. The two connected through Facebook after Shana noticed Ryan in a friend's photo. Intrigued, she asked her friend about him and learned he was single. Shana added Ryan as a friend, and they quickly struck up a conversation. Sparks flew, and soon they began dating. A toxic relationship. From the beginning, Ryan was upfront about his emotional state, he wasn't ready for a serious relationship.
Starting point is 05:51:29 Shana seemed to accept this initially, claiming she understood and respected his boundaries. However, her action soon told a different story. Shana, at just 19 years old, was eager for commitment. She envisioned marriage and a future with Ryan, even though he repeatedly told her he needed time and space. Frustrated by his reluctance, Shana began to pressure him. She would text her friends about how perfect Ryan was and how she couldn't understand why he didn't feel the same way. Their relationship quickly became toxic. Ryan, focused on his legal career, felt smothered by Shana's constant demands for attention.
Starting point is 05:52:07 They broke up and got back together multiple times, with each reconciliation only making things more strained. Shana claimed that Ryan was emotionally abusive, accusing him of insulting her appearance and treating her like a servant. She told friends that he made cruel comments about her weight and pressured her to undergo cosmetic surgery. Meanwhile, Ryan's friends and family painted a different friend. picture. They described Shana as obsessive and manipulative, recounting how she would bombard
Starting point is 05:52:32 him with text messages, sometimes sending between 50,000 and 100,000 messages over the course of their relationship, often with little to no response from Ryan. Shana's behavior became increasingly alarming. She would show up uninvited at Ryan's apartment, sometimes crying hysterically until he let her in. Once, she used a spare key he had given her early in their relationship to enter his home without his permission. Ryan confided in friends that he felt trapped and even considered filing a restraining order. The breaking point, by 2012, Ryan had reached his limit. He ended things with Shana for good, but she refused to accept the breakup. Around the same time, Ryan began talking to another woman, Audrey Bolt, a former
Starting point is 05:53:14 Miss Ohio. The two planned to go on their first date on October 12th. Knowing he needed to put an end to things with Shana once and for all, Ryan invited her over on October 11th to talk. According to Shana, the dinner was a romantic evening at his parents' house, but Ryan's family insisted it was a platonic gathering. Ryan reportedly sought advice from his father on how to make Shana understand that their relationship was over. After dinner, Ryan and Shana returned to his apartment, where he reiterated that he wanted to remain friends but nothing more. Shana spent the night in the apartment, though Ryan reportedly locked himself in his bedroom. The next morning, Shana called her mother, claiming she was having a panic attack and couldn't breathe. Her mother drove to Ryan's
Starting point is 05:53:56 apartment to comfort her. When Ryan woke up, he was surprised to find Shana still there, along with her mother. Shana claimed she needed to go to the hospital, but instead of seeking medical attention, she and her mother went shopping. Shana continued to text Ryan throughout the day, updating him on fake medical appointments and diagnoses. The final hours. That evening, Ryan returned home to prepare for his date with Audrey.
Starting point is 05:54:21 Around 9.30 p.m., he got ready, but he never showed up for the date. At some point during the night, a confrontation occurred between Ryan and Shana. Shana called 911, claiming she had shot Ryan in self-defense after an argument turned violent. When police arrived, they found Ryan dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Shana's story didn't add up, there were no signs of a struggle, and the evidence suggested that Ryan was sitting at the table when he was shot. The investigation revealed a deeply troubling relationship filled with obsession, manipulation, and escalating toxicity.
Starting point is 05:54:55 Shana was arrested and charged with Ryan's murder. Her trial exposed the chilling details of their relationship, leaving many to wonder what led to such a tragic end. The case remains a haunting reminder of how dangerous obsessive love can become. The homeowner called 911, and within just 15 minutes, the county sheriff arrived at the scene. The sheriff immediately began questioning Scott, asking about his companion, where he came from, and why they were there. Scott spilled the whole story, the job offer, the interview, the journey, and what the farm was like. That's when the sheriff dropped a bombshell, everything Scott described was a complete lie. The sheriff, who knew everyone in the area, said there was no jack, no farm owner, and definitely
Starting point is 05:55:38 no massive property like the one Scott described. The only part of the story that held any weight was the restaurant meeting, so the police headed there to investigate. They requested to see the surveillance footage from that day, but their efforts hit a snag, a firehead. had mysteriously destroyed the recordings. It would take days to see if anything could be salvaged. The story spread like wildfire, hitting newspapers, and rattling the community. Among the readers was Deborah Bruce, the sister of David Michael Poy. Every paragraph she read left her more stunned because it sounded eerily similar to the story
Starting point is 05:56:10 of her brother. Without hesitation, she called the police and shared everything she knew. That's when it became clear that Jack and Brogan weren't just small-time criminals, they might actually be serial killers. Authorities ventured into the forest where Scott had been hiding and found a blood trail matching the route he described. Following the blood, they discovered something horrific, a freshly dug grave near the area where Scott had been attacked. If Jack and Brogan had done this before, this might be their hunting ground, and there could be more graves nearby. The police left the area to return with tracking dogs, and sure enough, they found a second grave.
Starting point is 05:56:45 Inside were the remains of David, Deborah's brother. Days later, in the same area, a third grave was uncovered. This time, it contained the remains of an unidentified man. That made two confirmed victims and one survivor. The local police, however, were overwhelmed and out of resources. Unsure of how to proceed, they contacted the FBI for help. When the FBI took over, they started digging deep, literally and figuratively. They focused on the job ad that lured the victims.
Starting point is 05:57:16 Two critical elements stood out, the writing style and the type of victim the ad targeted. It was clear the perpetrators were looking for men, specifically those without military experience, who didn't know how to fight or defend themselves. The second lead came from tracing the IP address of the person who posted the ad. Despite public warnings about fake job ads, another victim fell into the trap. This time, it was a 57-year-old man named Timothy John Kern. Tim was a divorced father of three, living near his ex-wife and maintaining a close relationship with his kids.
Starting point is 05:57:49 He saw them almost daily and kept in constant touch through Facebook. On November 10, 2011, Tim posted a Facebook status that raised alarms among his loved ones. He wrote about moving forward in life, leaving his past behind, and finally making a fresh start. He mentioned a job on a farm near Cambridge, Ohio, with good pay in no-sell service. Before leaving, Tim met with his ex-wife, picked up a few belongings, and said goodbye to his kids. The last anyone heard from him was a message he sent to one of his sons on the morning of November 13th. After that, he vanished. Two weeks into the investigation, the police traced
Starting point is 05:58:26 the IP address from the job ad to a small house in Akron, Ohio. A full unit of officers swarmed the property, and a startled man named Joe answered the door. Confused and scared, Joe insisted he didn't know why they were there or what was going on. He explained that he had recently rented out a room to a man named Ralph. According to Joe, Ralph was friendly, reliable, and always paid rent on time. But one detail stood out, Ralph was constantly glued to his computer. The police asked for more information, and Joe provided it. The suspect's full name was Ralph Geiger.
Starting point is 05:59:00 But as the investigation progressed, something didn't add up. The photos of Ralph didn't match the man renting the room. Investigators dug deeper, contacting Ralph's relative. and friends, but no one recognized the current photo of him. That's when a critical breakthrough occurred, the FBI managed to recover footage from the surveillance cameras at the restaurant where Scott's job interview had taken place. The images showed two men. Investigators captured stills and began circulating them.
Starting point is 05:59:28 The local sheriff recognized one of the men immediately. His name wasn't Jack or Ralph, it was Richard Beasley. The younger man with him wasn't his nephew or any kind of family. He was Brogan Rafferty, a local church kid. From there, the story took an even darker turn. Richard Beasley's background was far from spotless. Born in 1959 in Akron, Ohio, he was primarily raised by his mother. After completing basic schooling, he worked as a machinist but constantly found himself
Starting point is 05:59:58 in trouble with the law. His life was a revolving door of arrests and prison sentences. At one point, he moved to Texas, where he was convicted of armed robbery. After serving time, he returned to Ohio to start fresh. In Ohio, Richard tried to reinvent himself. He became involved in a church, talked about God, and gained a reputation as a respectable man. He got married, had children, and seemed to turn his life around. But an accident left him in chronic pain, and his reliance on painkillers spiraled into an opioid addiction.
Starting point is 06:00:30 To fund his habit, Richard leaned on his newfound religious connections, exploiting vulnerable people he met in rehab. He became a sort of pimp, preying on those desperate for guidance. Eventually, the police caught on to his schemes, and he was arrested again. Upon his release, Richard pivoted to a deadlier business model. He devised a plan to rob and kill his victims under the guise of a job opportunity. The fake farm job ad described a rural property with plenty of land, cows, a cozy house, and a hefty paycheck. He specifically targeted adult men without families or close ties, believing no one would miss them if they they disappeared.
Starting point is 06:01:08 Richard enlisted Brogan Rafferty, a troubled teenager he met at church. Brogan's strict father, Michael, struggled to control him, inadvertently pushing the boy closer to Richard, who gave him the freedom he craved. Together, they lured victims, killed them, and buried their bodies. Brogan played a key role in covering their tracks. He drove the truck, dug the graves, and helped clean up after the murders. In his own words, Brogan described the chilling ritual he followed whenever he met up with Richard. He would empty his pockets, clean his room, finish his chores, and leave a note for his
Starting point is 06:01:41 dad saying he loved him, just in case he didn't come back. When Richard killed Ralph Geiger, he assumed his identity. But after Scott escaped, the duo changed their tactics. Taking victims into the woods was now too risky. Instead, they arranged to meet Timothy Kern at a shopping center. As usual, Richard struck when the victim wasn't paying attention, shooting Tim in the back. Brogan then dug a grave and buried Tim on the spot. The case against Brogan went to trial in 2012. To avoid the death penalty, he struck a
Starting point is 06:02:13 deal with prosecutors, receiving a life sentence without parole instead. Richard, however, wasn't as fortunate. In 2013, he was sentenced to death. To this day, Richard maintains his innocence, claiming he would never hurt anyone. Now it's your turn to weigh in, do you think justice was served, or does the case leave you with lingering questions? It was only the beginning, Ashley didn't like the plan from the start. But it was about to get worse, way worse. That's when the guys started talking about money, saying they desperately needed some fast.
Starting point is 06:02:46 Ashley casually mentioned her stepfather. He's got savings, she said. The perfect target. He's got a good job, and I don't even like him. The group began brainstorming, throwing out ideas and possible plans. Ashley, trying to stay cool, didn't realize this was a tipping point. Things were spiraling out of control. To understand how it all led to tragedy, we need to rewind and visit Richmond, Virginia.
Starting point is 06:03:11 This is where the Harvey family lived, a family that, by all accounts, was loved and respected by their community. The Harvys were a tight-knit group, Catherine, 39, Brian, 49, and their two daughters, Stella N., nine, and Ruby May, four. Catherine ran a toy store, and Brian had been a vocalist in the band House of Freaks. The couple was known for their warmth, kindness, and sense of community. Neighbors said the girls were sweet, and the family as a whole was quiet, respectful, and drama-free. The only thing slightly notable about the Harvys was their love for hosting small parties. Nothing crazy, just cozy get-togethers for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or New Year's. January 1st, 2006, was supposed to be one of those days.
Starting point is 06:03:57 They'd planned a barbecue, and their neighbors were cool with it. At 1.45 p.m., the first guest, Johnny Hot, arrived. But when he knocked on the door, no one answered. He tried again, still nothing. Concerned, he walked around to the back and peeked through the windows. Smoke. Thick, heavy smoke filled the house. Johnny wasted no time calling the fire department.
Starting point is 06:04:21 Within minutes, fire trucks arrived. The firefighters initially thought it might have been an electrical issue or an accident. But as they entered the house, the scene made no sense. The smoke was coming from the basement. When they got down there, the fire was deliberately set. And that wasn't the worst of it. In the basement, they found the bodies of Catherine and Ruby. Both were tied up.
Starting point is 06:04:45 Neither had died in the fire. They'd been restrained, and it was clear they'd fought back. After more searching, the bodies of Brian and Stella were discovered too. Stella had been tied up and left under a futon, while Brian had injuries that were horrific, His throat had been cut, his head showed signs of severe trauma, and his mouth was taped shut. The immediate theory was a home invasion gone horribly wrong. But something wasn't adding up. The house wasn't ransacked, no drawers flung open, no scattered belongings.
Starting point is 06:05:16 And yet, one thing was missing, Brian Harvey's wedding ring. The entire Richmond community was in shock. This wasn't supposed to happen to people like the Harvys. A chilling witness. In the hours that followed, the police interviewed everyone, Navy neighbors, friends, family members. One account stood out, Kristen Perkins, whose daughter was Stella's best friend. The day before the murders, Stella had attended a sleepover at Kristen's house.
Starting point is 06:05:42 Kristen dropped her off the next morning. She knocked several times at the Harvey's door, but no one answered. She peered through the windows and finally made her way to the back. When she knocked again, Catherine opened the door. described Catherine as acting, off. Normally cheerful and chatty, Catherine seemed pale intense, speaking in clipped, short sentences. The strangest moment came when Stella bolted into the house, and Catherine blocked Kristen from entering. Kristen thought it odd because everyone would be gathering later that day for the barbecue. Catherine tried to explain,
Starting point is 06:06:16 saying cryptically, things are just really crazy right now. Kristen offered to help, but Catherine declined, brushing her off. It was the last time Kristen would say, see her alive. The brutality of it all, the violence shocked even seasoned investigators. One detective described the scene as something that would haunt him for years. I don't know if you ever get over something like that, he said. If you're lucky, time blurs it, but it never really leaves you, the autopsies painted an even grimer picture. Catherine had been stabbed in the neck three times and once in the back. Brian had been stabbed six times in the neck. Neither died immediately. Their attackers had used
Starting point is 06:06:55 hammers to finish them off. The girls suffered similar fates. The timeline pieced together went like this. On the morning of January 1st, someone forced their way into the Harvey home. Catherine, Brian, and Ruby were tied up in the basement. Then, Kristen arrived with Stella. One of the intruders likely forced Catherine to answer the door. Catherine, trying to warn Kristen, failed. Stella and Catherine were both taken to the basement, where the massacre unfolded. The first connection, days later, on January 3rd, police in Chesterfield, 25 minutes from Richmond, received a frantic call from a couple. Two men and a woman had broken into their home, stolen their TV, computer, and a few other valuables. The woman had even asked for
Starting point is 06:07:39 directions as a distraction before the men forced their way inside. The intruders tied up the couple, but the man begged for mercy, explaining his wife was disabled. Miraculously, they left without harming them further. Inexplicably, police failed to link this incident to the Harvey murders. A third tragedy, three days later, on January 6th, Chesterfield Police received another call. A woman was worried about her friend Ashley Baskerville. She hadn't heard from Ashley and was convinced something bad had happened. Ashley lived with her mother, Mary, and her stepfather, Persile. When police arrived, no one answered the door. After knocking multiple times, they peered through the windows and saw something horrifying. Inside, all three were dead.
Starting point is 06:08:25 Persile had been gagged and suffocated with a plastic bag. Mary had been blindfolded and asphyxiated. Ashley was found with a plastic bag over her head, sealed with tape. At first, Ashley's death seemed like she was another victim. But a detail changed everything, Ashley was wearing a necklace with a gold ring. On closer inspection, the ring had the initials, B.H., engraved on it, Brian Harvey's wedding ring. Pacing it together, police turned their attention to Ashley's friends. One name came up quickly, Latoya. Ashley and Latoya had become best friends after meeting in jail, where they had bonded over dreams of turning their lives around. Ashley had introduced Latoya to two men, Ray Dandridge and Ricky Gray. The pair had criminal
Starting point is 06:09:09 records a mile long, ranging from armed robbery to drug trafficking. La Toya told police about a chilling conversation she'd overheard, Ashley and the men had discussed robbing houses and restraining people. Ashley even suggested her stepfather as a target, claiming he had money stashed away. Police began surveilling Ray and Ricky. Finally, on January 7th, a SWAT team raided their home. Ray surrendered immediately. Ricky resisted, hiding in the basement and attempting to grab an officer's gun. Confessions and connections, under interrogation, Ray confessed quickly, linking himself and Ricky to all three murders. Ricky held out for 12 hours before finally breaking down, admitting to the Harvey in Baskerville
Starting point is 06:09:51 killings, and even confessing to an earlier crime, the murder of his wife, Trevor Gray. Ricky described how he and Ray had killed Trevor in November 2005 during an argument, beating her to death. Her murder had remained unsolved until now. The duo's violent spree was further confirmed when a man named Ryan Carey came forward. On December 30, In 2001, 2005, Ryan had been attacked by Ricky and Ray in front of his parents' home. They beat and stabbed him, leaving him in a coma for two weeks. Ashley's role, shockingly, Ricky and Ray revealed that Ashley hadn't been an innocent victim. She had helped plan the Harvey murders, providing details about their home and schedules.
Starting point is 06:10:32 She had even driven the men to the house. Ashley's greed ultimately led to her death. During the attack on her parents, Ricky and Ray decided she was too ambitious and a liability. They killed her to tie up loose ends. Justice served, both men faced separate trials. Ricky's trial began in August 2006 and was a spectacle, with the defense attempting to blame his actions on childhood trauma. Ultimately, Ricky was sentenced to death, while Ray received life without parole.
Starting point is 06:11:01 The obsession that turned deadly, the sinister case of Brenda Delgado, Kendra Hatcher had everything going for her. At 35, she was a successful dentist, living in one of the best neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas. Life seemed to be unfolding beautifully, until the evening of September 2, 2015. That day would not only mark the tragic end of her promising future but also unraveled a bizarre story of obsession, jealousy, and a chilling crime. That afternoon, Kendra pulled into the garage of her apartment complex, exhausted after a long day at work.
Starting point is 06:11:33 She parked her car, turned off the engine, opened the door, and stepped out. But before she could make it any further, someone crept up behind her. A gunshot echoed through the garage. The bullet hit the back of her head, ending her life instantly. The assailant then grabbed her purse and a GoPro camera, fled to a waiting black Jeep Cherokee, and sped off into the night. This wasn't some random crime in a sketchy neighborhood. This murder took place in one of Dallas's most prestigious areas.
Starting point is 06:12:01 Kendra's death shocked the city, and news outlets quickly picked up the story. Her photo was plastered everywhere, alongside surveillance footage from the garage that captured the mysterious Jeep. The case quickly took a turn worthy of a Hollywood thriller, as investigators unearthed secrets that no one could have imagined. To truly understand what happened, we need to rewind the clock to the life of another woman, Brenda Delgado. Brenda Delgado, a dreamer with big ambitions. Brenda Veronica Delgado Reynaga was born on June 18, 1982, in Mexico. She was the second of five children born to Maria Reynaga and Luis Delgado. As the only girl in the family, Brenda was reportedly the favorite, earning her special treatment from her parents.
Starting point is 06:12:44 But the Delgado family didn't have much. Luis worked long hours at a factory, and eventually, the family decided they couldn't continue living in poverty. Seeking a better life, they moved to Dallas, Texas. In the United States, the Delgado's found stability. Louise got a job in construction, while Maria took on two jobs, one at a postal office and another as a cleaner. With both parents working tirelessly, the family's financial situation.
Starting point is 06:13:10 improved, and Brenda grew up with big dreams. She excelled in school and had her sights set on becoming a dentist. However, college tuition was far beyond her family's means. Undeterred, Brenda took on multiple jobs to save money. By day, she worked at a flower shop, by night, she served tables at a restaurant. Despite her busy schedule, she never missed church on Sundays. Brenda was charming, hardworking, and deeply religious. Her family had nothing but praised for her. Brenda is a beautiful person, her mother once said. She's a Christian woman with the best family values. But Brenda's ambitions extended far beyond her religious devotion and professional dreams. She longed for a luxurious life, a big house in an upscale neighborhood, expensive
Starting point is 06:13:58 clothes, and most importantly, the perfect man. She often said she wanted a partner who was ambitious, attractive, and successful. Her dream guy, oddly enough, was inspired by Ross from the TV show friends. In 2012, Brenda, now 30, finally moved out of her parents' home. She shared a modest apartment with two friends, and though the neighborhood wasn't ideal, she cherished her independence. She felt it was time to find her dream man. Initially, she relied on friends to set her up, but when that didn't work, she turned to dating apps like Tinder and Myspace. That's when she met Ricardo Paniagua. Meeting Ricky, Ricardo, or Ricky, as most called him, was 38 and everything Brenda had been searching for.
Starting point is 06:14:42 Born in California to Latin American parents, Ricky had overcome a tough childhood to become a dermatologist. He attended Stanford, excelled academically, and eventually moved to Dallas to work at the prestigious Southwestern Medical Center. On top of his impressive resume, Ricky bore a striking resemblance to Ross from friends, at least in Brenda's eyes. Their first date was a Jennifer Lopez concert at the American Airline Center on August 25, 2012. Sparks flew instantly, and within weeks, they were inseparable.
Starting point is 06:15:12 After only three months of dating, Brenda moved into Ricky's luxury apartment at the Fitzhue Urban Flats. For Brenda, it was a dream come true, she was living in a high-end complex with her ideal man. She introduced Ricky to her parents, took him on trips to Mexico, and constantly gushed about him on social media. On Ricky's birthday in April 2013, Brenda posted a heartfelt message, the most amazing and intelligent man I know. My best friend, my love. I can't imagine life without you. Two months later, Brenda found out she was pregnant. She didn't share the news with anyone, but it's believed she wanted
Starting point is 06:15:48 to keep the baby. However, after discussing it with Ricky, they decided on an abortion. The decision was difficult, but their relationship seemed to remain strong, at least on the surface. Brenda continued to post about their love, and they even signed a joint phone contract. Brenda also began pursuing her dream of working in dentistry. She enrolled in a dental hygiene program at Sanford Brown College. Everything appeared to be falling into place. But crack soon started to show. A sudden breakup. In July 2014, Ricky ended the relationship. Brenda was blindsided. One day, they were making wedding plans, the next, he told her it was over. She was devastated. Her grades plummeted, she skipped classes, and she seemed to exist in a constant state of despair.
Starting point is 06:16:35 Her classmates noticed her odd behavior. She would talk incessantly about Ricky, how she planned to win him back, how they were meant to be together, how she couldn't imagine her life without him. While Brenda's obsession grew, Ricky appeared to move on quickly. He traveled, spent time with friends, and seemed happy. In September 2014, Ricky decided to take salsa lessons, hoping to meet new people. To his surprise, Brenda also enrolled in the same class. The coincidence was uncanny.
Starting point is 06:17:06 Despite the awkwardness, they began talking again, and by the end of the year, they were back together. But the reconciliation didn't last long. By February 2015, Ricky broke things off for good, saying he wasn't ready for marriage. This time, Brenda seemed to take it well. She moved into a new apartment and promised to stay friends. What Ricky didn't realize was that Brenda's obsession had reached a dangerous level. The obsession deepens. Brenda wasn't ready to let Ricky go.
Starting point is 06:17:35 She secretly retained a key to his apartment, allowing her to enter when he wasn't home. She also had access to his email, social media accounts, and iCloud. Using this information, she tracked his every move. Ricky started noticing odd coincidences. He'd run into Brenda at the grocery store, the park, and even while out on dates. He chalked it up to fate, but in reality, Brenda was stalking him. In May 2015, Ricky met Kendra Hatcher on Tinder. Kendra was everything Brenda wasn't, confident, successful, and emotionally stable.
Starting point is 06:18:09 Their relationship blossomed quickly, and by the summer, Kendra had moved into Ricky's apartment. Brenda, still watching from the shadows, was furious. She couldn't stand the thought of someone else living the life she had envisioned for herself. Brenda was determined to make Kendra disappear. Ricky met Kendra Hatcher on Tinder in May 2015, and their connection was. was instant. Kendra wasn't just anyone, she was a successful dentist with a bright future, a radiant personality, and a smile that could light up a room. She wasn't just beautiful, she was kind, driven, and someone who knew what she wanted in life. For Ricky, she was the fresh
Starting point is 06:18:45 start he needed after the complicated and suffocating relationship he'd had with Brenda. Kendra and Ricky's romance moved quickly, but it didn't feel rushed, it felt natural. They had chemistry, shared goals, and were genuinely happy together. In just a few months, their relationship blossomed into something strong and stable, something Brenda never stopped noticing. See, while Ricky was falling for Kendra, Brenda was still watching. Through the digital lens of his iCloud, social media, and other tools she'd secretly kept access to, Brenda kept herself updated on everything about Ricky's new relationship.
Starting point is 06:19:20 She saw the selfies, the check-ins, the cute little captions about their dates, and every single post fueled her growing obsession. For Brenda, Ricky wasn't just an ex. He was the guy, the dream she'd built her entire future around. Watching him move on wasn't just heartbreaking, it was infuriating. And the fact that Kendra was everything Brenda wanted to be, a successful, beautiful dentist with a seemingly perfect life, only made it worse. Brenda didn't just want Ricky back.
Starting point is 06:19:48 She wanted to erase Kendra from the picture entirely. The plan takes shape, by mid-20s. In 2015, Brenda's thoughts turned dark. The idea of simply moving on didn't exist for her. Instead, she began plotting a way to remove Kendra from Ricky's life forever. This wasn't an impulsive decision, it was calculated. Brenda started laying the groundwork by recruiting help. She reached out to Crystal Cortez, a young woman she'd met through mutual acquaintances.
Starting point is 06:20:16 Crystal was in her early twenties, struggling financially, and easily manipulated by promises of of quick cash. Brenda offered her $500 to drive a getaway car, no questions asked. Crystal didn't know the full extent of Brenda's plan, but she agreed. It seemed like easy money, and Brenda made it sound like a simple favor. What Crystal didn't realize was that this favor was about to spiral into a deadly conspiracy. Next, Brenda brought in another accomplice, Christopher Love. Christopher was no stranger to criminal activities, and Brenda promised him money, drugs, and more if he
Starting point is 06:20:50 helped her carry out the hit on Kendra. With her team assembled, Brenda's plan was in motion. The night of the crime, on September 2, 2015, Kendra Hatcher had no idea that her life was in danger. It was just a normal day. She worked her shift at the dental office, went about her usual routine, and headed home to her apartment in a luxury building in Dallas. As she pulled into the garage and parked her car, the black Jeep Cherokee Crystal was driving
Starting point is 06:21:17 followed her inside. didn't think anything of it, why would she? It was just another car pulling in behind her. But as Kendra stepped out of her car, Christopher Love approached her with a gun. Without hesitation, he shot her execution style in the back of the head. Kendra died instantly. Christopher then grabbed Kendra's purse and a GoPro camera she had with her, making it look like a robbery. He jumped back into the Jeep, and Crystal drove them out of the garage as quickly as possible. The whole thing happened in minutes. What Brenda didn't count, on, however, was the presence of security cameras in the garage.
Starting point is 06:21:53 The footage captured the black Jeep Cherokee entering and leaving the scene, as well as the shadowy figures involved. It wasn't much, but it was enough to start unraveling her plan. The investigation unfolds. The murder of Kendra Hatcher shocked the Dallas community. This wasn't the kind of crime people expected in such an upscale area. Kendra's family and friends were devastated, and the media quickly picked up the story. As detectives began piecing together the case, they reviewed the security footage from the garage and started tracing the black Jeep Cherokee. It didn't take long for them to link the vehicle to Crystal Cortez. Crystal, when brought in for questioning, cracked under pressure.
Starting point is 06:22:32 She confessed to her role in the crime but tried to minimize her involvement, claiming she thought they were only going to scare Kendra, not kill her. She also pointed investigators toward Brenda Delgado, the mastermind behind it all. When police questioned Brenda, she initially played innocent. She painted herself as a heartbroken woman who had nothing to do with Kendra's murder. But as more evidence came to light, texts, phone records, and witness statements, it became clear that Brenda had orchestrated everything. The truth comes out, Brenda's motive was painfully clear.
Starting point is 06:23:04 She couldn't handle the idea of Ricky being happy with someone else, especially someone like Kendra. In her twisted mind, eliminating Kendra was the only way to reclaim the life she thought she deserved. But Brenda underestimated the consequences of her actions. While Crystal and Christopher were arrested relatively quickly, Brenda fled the country. She crossed the border into Mexico, where she hoped to avoid extradition and live as a fugitive. For months, Brenda remained on the run, but she couldn't stay hidden forever. In April 2016, Mexican authorities arrested her in Torian, Coahuila, and she was eventually extradited back to the United States to face
Starting point is 06:23:41 justice. Justice for Kendra. In court, the details of Brenda's obsession, jealousy, and manipulation came to light. Crystal Cortez and Christopher Love were both convicted for their roles in the murder. Christopher received the death penalty, while Crystal received a lesser sentence in exchange for her cooperation. Brenda, the mastermind behind it all, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A tragic end, Kendra Hatcher's life was taken far too soon, and the senselessness of her death left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her. She was a bright, loving, and compassionate woman whose only crime was falling in love with the wrong man at the wrong time. As for Brenda Delgado, her story serves as a chilling reminder of how jealousy and
Starting point is 06:24:24 obsession can spiral out of control, leading to devastating consequences. And Ricky? He had to live with the guilt and pain of knowing that his past relationship had played a role in such a horrific crime. It all started with an online job posting that seemed too good to be true. Someone was looking for a caretaker to maintain a large ranch, 688 acres of land to manage, a few cows to feed, and in exchange, a solid paycheck and a cozy two-bedroom trailer to live in. For anyone looking for a fresh start, it sounded like the perfect deal. And that's exactly what caught Ralph's attention. Ralph Henry Geiger, 56 years old, had been going through a rough patch. Back in the 1970s, Ralph had been just another high school graduate chasing dreams.
Starting point is 06:25:09 He moved to California and spent years working alongside his dad in an antique shop. Business was good for a while, but as life often does, it threw curveballs. By the 1990s, Ralph returned to Ohio and opened his own shop. For a time, things were great. He was successful enough to hire employees, had loyal customers, and was making good money. But then the economy took a nosedive, and everything fell apart. His shop closed, and soon he couldn't make ends meet. By 2011, Ralph was homeless, staying at a shelter in Akron. It wasn't just the lack of a home or job that weighed on him.
Starting point is 06:25:46 Ralph's personal life was equally empty. He'd never married, never had kids. His family was still around, parents, siblings, but he barely kept in touch with them. The loneliness ate away at him. To cope, he'd tell little lies to people, painting a picture of a life he didn't have. He'd tell strangers that he'd been married, that he had a son, even grandkids. It was all make-believe, but it made him feel less, alone. He even introduced a younger friend, Summer Rowley, as his daughter sometimes.
Starting point is 06:26:17 Summer was a 26-year-old who used to clean Ralph's house before things went south. Over time, they'd stayed friends, and she helped him out when she could, a little cashier, a meal there. That summer, Ralph spent most of his days at the public library, scouring the internet for job postings. One day, he stumbled upon the ad for the ranch caretaker position. The pay was decent, dollar $300 a week, and it came with a place to stay. The owner claimed it was a quiet, peaceful area, with the nearest neighbor a mile away. There was just one odd detail, the location wasn't specified. The ad simply mentioned that it was somewhere near Noble County, Ohio.
Starting point is 06:26:55 The owner explained that it was for safety reasons. It was a little weird, but Ralph didn't think much of it. Excited by the opportunity, Ralph called Summer to share the news. She immediately felt uneasy. Something about the ad didn't sit right with her. The isolation, the lack of cell service in the area, it all seemed risky. But Ralph was too excited to listen. To him, this was his chance to start over, to rebuild his life.
Starting point is 06:27:23 He packed his bags, said goodbye to some. summer, and headed off to meet his new employer. That was the last time Summer heard from him. After Ralph disappeared, Summer tried to reach him. She called and texted, but his phone was off. Days turned into weeks, and still no word. At first, she assumed he was just off the grid, trying to adjust to his new life. Ralph had a habit of disappearing now and then, reinventing himself when things got tough. But as the weeks dragged on, she started to worry. Then, one day, she called his number and a stranger answered. The person explained they'd recently been assigned that number, and Summer's heart sank.
Starting point is 06:28:02 Ralph was gone, and she had no idea where or why. Fast forward to October 2011. Another man, David Michael Pauley, came across the same job posting. David, 51, had also hit Rock Bottom. Not long ago, he'd been living a stable, happy life. He was married, had a child, and everything seemed fine, until his marriage fell. apart. The divorce left him shattered. At 50, he found himself single, struggling to figure out how to start over. Like Ralph, David turned to the internet for answers. He joined
Starting point is 06:28:36 dating sites, tried making new friends, and searched for job opportunities. That's when he saw the ranch caretaker ad. To David, the job seemed like the perfect escape. A new home, steady income, and a chance to leave his troubles behind. He was so excited about the prospect that he told his twin sister, Deborah. He described how amazing it sounded, how this could be his shot at happiness. But Deborah wasn't convinced. Something about the job didn't feel right to her. She pointed out the red flags, the isolation, the vague details, and begged him to reconsider. But David brushed off her concerns. He assured her he'd be fine and went ahead with the plan. David responded to the ad and quickly got a reply. The employer seemed eager to hire him, and within
Starting point is 06:29:23 minutes, they arranged to meet. On October 22, 2011, David called his sister to share the good news. It was the last time she ever heard from him. A month later, in November 2011, Scott Davis, a 48-year-old landscaper from South Carolina, came across the same ad. Scott had a good life, a steady job, a wife, kids. But his mother's health was failing, and she lived far away in Akron, Ohio. Scott wanted to be closer to her, but he couldn't just approved his life. He needed a job nearby to make it work. So, he turned to Craigslist, hoping to find something flexible and local. That's when he found the ranch caretaker position. It seemed like the answer to his prayers. The employer responded quickly, and they arranged to meet.
Starting point is 06:30:12 Scott was cautious but hopeful. On the day of the meeting, he was greeted by two men, Jack, the ranch owner, and his teenage nephew, Brogan. They seemed like typical Midwestern farmers, dressed simply in speaking with an easygoing charm. Jack explained the job in detail, and Scott felt at ease. But then the questions got weird. Jack asked if Scott had any military experience, if he knew how to fight, if he carried a weapon. Scott, being an honest guy, admitted he wasn't a fighter and didn't own any guns. Despite this, Jack seemed satisfied and invited Scott to visit the ranch.
Starting point is 06:30:47 The three of them piled into a truck, with Brogan driving, Jack in the passenger seat, and Scott in the back. They drove deep into the woods, farther and farther from civilization. Eventually, they reached a point where Scott's phone lost signal. Jack suddenly told Brogan to stop the truck. He explained that they'd recently hunted a deer nearby and wanted to check on it. Scott agreed to tag along, curious about the area. Jack and Scott walked into the woods, leaving Brogan in the truck. After about ten minutes, Jack stopped to tie his shoe while Scott walked ahead.
Starting point is 06:31:21 That's when he heard it, the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. Scott turned around and saw Jack pointing a pistol at him. Without thinking, Scott bolted. Gunshots rang out as he zigzagged through the trees, desperate to escape. One of the bullets grazed him, but he kept running, adrenaline driving him forward. For eight long hours, Scott hit in a dense forest, terrified that Jack was still hunting him. When night fell, he finally emerged and stumbled upon a farmhouse. He banged on the door, begging for help. The homeowner called 911, and Scott's nightmare finally came to an end. An hour later, she returns alone to that building, saying she is desperately looking for
Starting point is 06:32:02 Lelia, that she can't find her anywhere, that she knows nothing about her. But then Matilda Elena Fuentes, the doorman's wife, tells her that the last time they saw her was leaving with her from that same building. And then she gives a very strange excuse and leaves, saying that Lelia felt very unwell halfway and decided to return home until she felt better. Let's begin, Yamorano was a charming woman. She always wore her best outfits, knew what to say and when to say it, and she associated with the most influential people. On top of all this, it was said that you could entrust her with your soul,
Starting point is 06:32:39 as she was so kind she wouldn't her to fly. Unfortunately, the image people had of her turned out to be wrong. Maria de Las Mercedes Bernardina Bala Aponte de Marano, better known as Ja Marano, was born on May 20th, 1930, in Corrientes, Argentina, into a well-known military family. She was always, as I've already mentioned, a charming, brilliant woman, and her charisma made her stand out far above the average. She came from high society and always mingled with the most important people. At some point, she married a prestigious lawyer named Antonio Marano, and with him, she had her only son, Martine Marano. However, from this point on, we must dig deeper into Ya's story. In truth, this woman was not as perfect as everyone thought.
Starting point is 06:33:30 Ya Marano hardly took care of her only son. In fact, he stated on several occasions that it was a nanny who raised him. I'm her biological son, but I don't feel like her son. To me, she's someone close, but not a mother. A housemaid did some of the mother's role. Martine Marano, she was also addicted to shopping. She spent all her money on designer clothes and dozens of jewels. Because of this, any money she might have had disappeared, and debts took its place.
Starting point is 06:34:03 To top it all off, Yaw was a compulsive liar. She was incapable of admitting she was broke and told everyone she had a lot of money, that she knew influential people, invented friends and stories, anything rather than face the harsh reality. Her problems reached a point where it was impossible to lie to her husband anymore. She had so many lovers that it was impossible to keep them hidden. I acted very differently from what she did. I remember she used to have breakfast with male friends and told me not to tell Dad. I thought the world was like that, but then I realized that we were the Adams family. Martin Morano. With all this, the Marano marriage ended in divorce.
Starting point is 06:34:45 Thanks to this, Yah received a pension, but she spent so much daily that it didn't last. Unfortunately, the debts piled up quickly. That's when she decided to hatch the perfect plan, investments. When someone invests money, they know that if it goes well, they might even double it. That's where she found the perfect business, because she didn't plan to invest her money, but rather other peoples. Yamarano was a great manipulator and knew exactly what to say to convince anyone. Through her charm, she convinced those around her to give her money so she could, invest it. The first to trust her was her cousin, Carmen Zulema del Giorgio de Venturini, better known as
Starting point is 06:35:27 Mima. This woman had recently been widowed, and her late husband had left her a large inheritance. That made her the perfect victim. Mima and Ye had always had a great relationship, Mima would gift her plants, and Yeah in return would prepare teas and sweet cookies that she baked herself. During one of their meetings, Ya proposed an investment. She didn't ask for much, just a small amount to try her luck. And magically, the amount was doubled. Later, she asked if Mima wanted to invest more.
Starting point is 06:36:01 That's when Mima gave her 20 million pesos. That amount was insane, so to ensure everything was legal, Yamorano, on March 27, 1979, gave her a promissory note assuring she would get her money back, even doubled. The first investment had gone great, so Mima only had to wait for the second to do just as well. Meanwhile, word spread, and the story of the great investment reached two more women, Nilda Delina Gamba, Yaa's neighbor, and Alita Formasano de Yala, a friend of hers. Of course, both women wanted her. wanted to invest with her. From that point, they became friends and business partners, going
Starting point is 06:36:41 out together, shopping, taking walks, going to the movies. They became practically inseparable. It was something out of a Hollywood movie. But like all idyllic stories, this one comes to an end, and a very tragic one. On Friday, February 9, 1979, Nilda Gamba went to dine at Yamorano's home. She was supposed to receive her investment return that day. But Ya said she didn't have the money yet. She was her friend, so she trusted her completely and extended the deadline. They enjoyed dinner and spent time together until 1 a.m. After that, Nilda gathered her things and went home.
Starting point is 06:37:23 The next morning, she woke up feeling terrible, nausea, dizziness, sharp stomach pains. She rushed to the nearest hospital, where a doctor diagnosed. her with food poisoning. But that night, her symptoms worsened, she fell into a coma and died on February 11. Yaw, wanting to avoid suspicion, started looking for a doctor to sign the death certificate, without seeing the body, and confirmed the cause of death. The first doctor she went to, Dr. Torner, refused without seeing the body, as that would be illegal. So she found another doctor, and for a small fee, he wrote, non-traumatic cardiac arrest. Days after Nilda's death, Ya had to return money to another friend, this time Liliya
Starting point is 06:38:09 Alida for Misano de Yala. On this occasion, Ya went to the woman's house. While having tea and cookies, she said she didn't have the money yet and asked for more time. Lelia trusted her and agreed. Together, they planned a trip to Mar-Dell Plaza for the 19th of that same month. Unfortunately, strange things began to happen that day. That morning, Ya picked up Lelia, went to her house, grabbed her suitcases, and they both went downstairs. Carlos Alberto Zamora saw them leave the building together. An hour later, Yaw returned alone, saying she was desperately looking for Lelia, couldn't find her anywhere, and had no idea what had happened. Matilda Elena Fuentes, the doorman's wife, told her they saw her leave with Lelia.
Starting point is 06:38:57 Ya gave a strange excuse, that Lelia felt unwell halfway and decided to return home. Matilda asked if she wanted to go upstairs to ring Lelia's doorbell, but Yah refused, saying she didn't want to bother her and would come back later. That evening, Y'ya returned, but not alone. She brought other women, supposedly to take Lelia to the movies. But she wasn't answering the phone or the doorbell, so the women left without her. Everyone decided to give her some space. Time passed, and Lelia gave no signs of life.
Starting point is 06:39:33 On February 22, 1979, or repugnant, putrid odor emerged from Lelia's apartment. Neighbors called the police. When they entered, they found her body sitting in front of the TV, next to a plate of fish and some tea. The cause of death Non-traumatic myocardial infarction On March 24th of that same year, it was Mima's turn. She began to feel very sick, nausea, dizziness, stomach pain. She left her house and tried to get to the hospital.
Starting point is 06:40:07 Unfortunately, she collapsed from dizziness and fell down the stairs. The fall was so loud the neighbors came out to see what happened, and found her unconscious. They called an ambulance. Meanwhile, Yah spoke to the building's doorman and asked for the spare. key to Mima's apartment, saying she needed her notebook with all her contacts, family, friends, etc. Who better than her to go get it? The doorman handed her the keys. But she didn't come back with a notebook, she returned with a jar of cookies and a handful of papers. Mima died, and Yah asked the doctor if an autopsy was necessary. He said no, it was clearly a heart attack.
Starting point is 06:40:49 days passed. While Mima's daughters cleaned her apartment, they realized the promissory notes from Yah were gone. They asked the doorman if anyone else had entered. That's when they discovered Ya had gone in and taken the notes, and the cookies she had once gifted her dearest friend. From there, the daughters discovered that two other women had died under similar circumstances, and Yah was linked to all three. They pressured doctors to perform an autopsy on their mother, and found cyanide in her body. Cyanide that Ya had placed in the cookies and tea. The bodies of the other victims were exhumed, and all of them had cyanide.
Starting point is 06:41:30 So on April 27th of that same year, Yamorana was arrested and charged with defrauding and poisoning three women. You might think prison would be tough, but the truth is, other inmates treated her like a queen. Everyone adored her and thought she was a great person. On June 15, 1982, due to health issues, Judge Unhell Mercado acquitted her, and she was set free. But thanks to the family's pressure, she was re-imprisoned on June 28, 1985, and sentenced to 25 years for her crimes. It said that when she was freed on November 20, 1995, she gifted a box of chocolates to the judges who released her. But no one knows if they ate them, or threw them away. I was convicted of three poisonings.
Starting point is 06:42:18 In two cases, forensic reports showed there was no trace of poisoning, the cyanide levels were consistent with 12 normal bodies tested. The third case is different, they found a huge amount of poison in my poor cousin. When I got to the building, the doorman said she'd fallen down the stairs. A doctor was treating her with mouth-to-mouth. This was ignored at trial, someone who does CPR on a person who took care. cyanide risks death or severe burns. Imagine, a cyanide pill the size of an aspirin can kill a strong man in seconds. My cousin had the equivalent of 20 pills, without any internal injuries.
Starting point is 06:42:59 How did it get into her body? Her final years were spent in a nursing home, estranged from her son, who could no longer see her as a mother. Martin Marano wrote a book about her with shocking claims, claims ya herself called defamatory. However, on the program, ambosted that to do, Martin said. I went to see her so she would turn herself in. She tried to kill me when I was a kid. She gave me a poison cake when I was 10. When I brought it to my mouth, she snatched it away and told me the tea bag had cyanide in it. There were more deaths for which she was never charged. Some say there were seven. Until her death in 2014, incredibly, Ya was still beloved. Public opinion was divided between those who saw her as a charming murderer and those who
Starting point is 06:43:47 believed she was innocent. She was so popular that she appeared on numerous TV shows, where people joked about her poisoned cookies. But now it's your turn. What do you think of this case? Do you think you was guilty of everything? The end. To fully understand this case, we need to travel back to the 19th century. It was a time when thousands of German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, escaping religious fanaticism in their homeland. Pennsylvania, at the time, was remarkably open-minded. They welcomed all sorts of beliefs, religions, and even magical practices, as long as they weren't illegal.
Starting point is 06:44:24 This created a safe haven for countless immigrants, a melting pot of cultures and traditions. The German settlers brought with them their old-world customs, beliefs, and superstitions. These were soon mingled with those of the new world, creating entirely new practices and traditions. Each family, each person, had their own interpretation of religion, the Bible, and magical customs. But despite their differences, they all shared one thing in common, a deep-rooted belief in magic. Everyone had their own remedies, superstitions, and magical recipes. Some were for health, like homemade soups and ointments for headaches or stomachaches. Others were for social and economic troubles, amulets to wear around the neck, rules like not walking under ladders,
Starting point is 06:45:07 or covering mirrors after someone passed away. These were ingrained traditions, especially in rural areas. At the more structured end of the spectrum of these magical beliefs was something called powwowing. This wasn't your average spellcasting, it was a form of faith healing. People believed it was a gift from God, meant to cure illnesses or solve problems. Practitioners of this craft were called powwowers. They were seen as healers, individuals who could help simply by touching you or reciting special prayers. Here's the thing about powwowing, it wasn't just a talent anyone could develop.
Starting point is 06:45:41 The knowledge was passed down from generation to generation, written in notebooks or journals filled with spells, recipes, and rituals. And there were rules. First, this gift was considered divine. It was meant to help others, not for personal gain. Second, the knowledge wasn't passed directly between men or women. Instead, fathers taught daughters, and mothers taught sons. was an unbreakable tradition. But, as with any practice, there were rumors of people using
Starting point is 06:46:10 magic for evil. Stories spread about witches who cast curses and caused harm, though most of this was probably folklore. Despite the accusations and the fear surrounding them, most powwowers claimed to be good, insisting they only healed and never harmed. Yet fear is a powerful thing. People were terrified. A bad harvest, a failed romance, or a sudden illness was often blamed on curses. This paranoia and fear of the unknown played a huge role in what was about to unfold. By the mid-19th century, many of these spells and rituals were being written down in books, and one of the most famous was the long-lost friend, published in 1819. For powwowers, this book was essential, it was the ultimate guide, containing
Starting point is 06:46:53 all the wisdom and magical recipes they needed. Without it, you weren't considered a legitimate powwow. And that's where our story really begins. John Blymire, born in 1895 in York County, Pennsylvania, John Blymire came from a family of powwowers. For three generations, his family had practiced this craft, and there were high hopes for John to carry on the tradition as the fourth generation. But things didn't exactly go as planned. As a child, John seemed to have a natural gift. By the age of seven, he was already learning spells, recipes, and remedies. He was outgoing and eager to learn. But as he grew older, life took a downward spiral. John had fragile health and was often sick. He struggled in
Starting point is 06:47:38 school, not just academically, his IQ was far below average. He was socially awkward, couldn't make friends, and even farming didn't seem to suit him. Worst of all, his magical abilities weren't developing as expected. His family didn't know what to do with him. John, however, believed his struggles weren't his fault. He convinced himself he was cursed, that his powers were being blocked by some dark force. This obsession consumed him. Then one day, something extraordinary happened, or at least, John thought it was extraordinary. While working at a cigar factory, he and some co-workers were attacked by a rabid dog. The dog was foaming at the mouth and growling aggressively, but John managed to calm it. He extended his hand, muttered a prayer, and, miraculously,
Starting point is 06:48:24 the dog stopped and seemed to recover. Witnesses were convinced John had real powers, and John believed it too. But his joy was short-lived. When he got home, he fell seriously ill, Bedridden for weeks. He became convinced that another powwower had cursed him out of jealousy. John's paranoia grew worse. He couldn't eat or sleep, and he became obsessed with breaking the supposed curse. He tried performing spells on himself, but nothing worked. According to tradition, he needed to know who had cursed him to lift it. And then, one night, he had a dream. In his dream, an owl perched on his window-sill at midnight and hooted seven times. John took this as a sign and concluded the curse had been placed on him by his great-grandfather
Starting point is 06:49:08 Jacob, a powerful powwow who had been the seventh son of a seventh son. Unfortunately, since Jacob was dead, John couldn't fight the curse directly. His only option was to flee, from his family, from his home, from Jacob's grave. John moved away and tried to start over. For a while, things improved. He got married to a woman named Lily, and they had two children. But tragedy struck when both children died young. These losses sent John spiraling again.
Starting point is 06:49:37 He became convinced his wife was involved in the curses against him, and the paranoia took over his life. Desperate for answers, John visited a local powwower named Lenhart. After paying for a session, Lenhart confirmed John's fears, he was indeed cursed, and the culprit was someone close to him, maybe a friend for family member. immediately assumed it was Lily. Their marriage became unbearable, filled with arguments and distrust. Lily, fearing for her safety, sought legal help. John was ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation. Doctors found he had obsessive tendencies and was highly gullible. His low IQ made him
Starting point is 06:50:14 easy to manipulate, and he had a habit of blowing small problems out of proportion. He was recommended for psychiatric treatment, but John refused. He was convinced he wasn't the problem, it was everyone else. Everyone was jealous of him, trying to steal his powers, plotting against him. His marriage ended, and Lily filed for divorce. After the divorce, John's life took an even darker turn. In 1928, he returned to the cigar factory, where he met two other men who also believed they were cursed, John Curry, a 14-year-old boy with an abusive stepfather, and Milton Hess, a struggling farmer
Starting point is 06:50:49 whose once thriving farm had fallen into ruin. The three bonded over their shared belief in curses. They became a trio, meeting daily to discuss their problems and reinforce each other's paranoia. Eventually, they became convinced they were all cursed by the same person, a powerful powwower named Nelson Remayer. The target, Nelson Remayer, Nelson Remayer was a respected powwower in the community. He came from a long line of healers and was known for his generosity and kindness. Nelson lived in a modest home where he conducted his healing practices and consultations. John Blymire, however, saw Nelson as a dangerous and evil man.
Starting point is 06:51:26 Encouraged by his friends, John sought out a witch for advice. The witch, Nellie Knoll, known as the River Witch of Marietta, performed a ritual to help John identify his supposed curse caster. In the ritual, John claimed to see Nelson's face. The witch instructed John on how to break the curse, he needed to steal a lock of Nelson's hair and his copy of the long-lost friend, then bury them six feet underground. This, she said, would free him and his friends from the curse. Fueled by this plan, the three men set out to confront Nelson. Confronting Nelson Remayer, on November 27, 1928, John Blymire, Milton Hess, and John Curry set out to visit Nelson Remayer. Their original plan was simple, obtain a lock of Nelson's hair, steal his long-lost friend book, and quietly leave.
Starting point is 06:52:14 They believed this would break the curse. Nelson lived in a secluded house in York County, known as Rimeyer's Hollow. When the trio arrived, Nelson greeted them warmly. He was polite and welcoming, unaware of their intentions. The men entered his home, pretending they were just visiting to talk about powwowing. Nelson entertained them, and the evening passed without incident. Despite their plan, the three men hesitated to act. Nelson didn't seem like the evil sorcerer they had imagined.
Starting point is 06:52:42 He was calm and kind, not at all the villain they had. built up in their minds. As the hours ticked by, the trio grew more uneasy. They spent the night at Nelson's house, waiting for the right moment to carry out their mission. But by morning, they had lost their nerve and left empty-handed. John Blymire, however, was not ready to give up. His obsession with breaking the curse consumed him. He convinced Milton and John Curry to return to Nelson's house the following night to finish what they had started. The attack, the second visit to Nelson's house was far less cordial. This time, the trio was determined to follow through with their plan, no matter the cost.
Starting point is 06:53:21 When they arrived, Nelson was again welcoming, but the men quickly turned on him. They confronted Nelson, accusing him of placing curses on them. Nelson, confused and likely alarmed, denied the accusations. But the men weren't satisfied. What happened next was nothing short of brutal. The trio attacked Nelson, beating him severely. In the chaos, they demanded he hand over his long-lost friend book and a lock of his hair. Nelson fought back, but he was outnumbered.
Starting point is 06:53:50 At some point during the attack, things escalated far beyond what any of them had likely intended. Nelson was fatally beaten. His body lay motionless on the floor. Realizing what they had done, the three men panicked. They hadn't planned to kill Nelson, they only wanted to lift the curse. But now, they had a dead man in front of them. In a desperate attempt to cover up their crime, they decided to set the house on fire, hoping to destroy the evidence.
Starting point is 06:54:17 They doused Nelson's body in parts of the house with kerosene and lit the fire. But their plan backfired. The fire didn't spread as they had hoped. Nelson's house was built with thick timber that resisted the flames. Instead of burning to the ground, only part of the house was damaged. The trio fled, leaving behind a gruesome scene. The investigation. When Nelson's body was discovered, the community was horrible.
Starting point is 06:54:41 The news of the murder spread quickly, and the strange circumstances surrounding it captivated the public. It didn't take long for authorities to track down John Blymire, Milton Hess, and John Curry. Their behavior in the days following the murder had raised suspicions, and the police were able to piece together their involvement. During questioning, all three men confessed to the crime. They revealed their belief that Nelson had cursed them and admitted their plan to lift the curse by stealing his book and hair.
Starting point is 06:55:09 The trial that followed was sensational. Reporters flocked to York County to cover the bizarre story of magic, curses, and murder. The public was both fascinated and appalled. The defense tried to argue that John Blymire was mentally unstable, pointing to his obsessive belief in curses and his gullibility. They claimed he genuinely believed he was under a curse and that his actions were driven by this delusion. The prosecution, however, painted a different picture.
Starting point is 06:55:36 They argued that the murder was premeditated and that the trio had acted out of of greed and superstition, not self-defense or necessity. The verdict, in the end, all three men were found guilty of murder. John Blymeyer received a life sentence, while Milton Hess and John Curry were sentenced to shorter prison terms due to their younger ages and perceived lesser roles in the crime. The trial left a lasting impression on the community. It exposed the darker side of rural superstitions and the devastating consequences of paranoia and fear. The legacy, the murder of Nelson Remayer became one of Pennsylvania's most infamous cases, a chilling tale of how belief in curses and magic spiraled into violence. Remayer's house, now known as Reemeyer's
Starting point is 06:56:17 Hollow, still stands to this day. It has become a local legend, with some claiming it is haunted by Nelson's spirit. Visitors to the site often report strange occurrences, from unexplained noises to eerie sensations. For many, the story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of superstition and the consequences of letting fear control our actions. But for others, it's a reminder of the complex and sometimes unsettling history of powwowing and the role it played in rural Pennsylvania life. A Latvian man, Igvars Collins, has received an official apology from the Metropolitan Police following an incident where he was wrongfully arrested last year. The 20-year-old, who is a trainee police officer from Tallinn, Estonia, had been in London
Starting point is 06:56:59 visiting friends when he found himself embroiled in an incident outside White City. Tube Station. Initially hailed as a hero for his brave actions, Collins's involvement quickly became the center of controversy when he was mistaken for a criminal and arrested, an event that would lead to a significant legal battle and eventual compensation. Collins was caught up in a violent mugging when he witnessed a frail elderly Indian woman being accosted by two individuals. These men, clad in balaclava's, had forcefully stolen her handbag and were attempting to flee the scene on a motorbike. Without hesitation, Collins, despite being a foreigner in a city far from home, sprang into action. He approached one of the muggers, tackled him, and managed to
Starting point is 06:57:44 overpower him. In the process, he dislocated the muggers' jaw, before successfully restraining him, keeping the thief's hands behind his back, ensuring he couldn't flee. Collins's brave intervention likely prevented the elderly woman from facing further harm, and yet, the situation took a bizarre and tragic turn. While Collins was undoubtedly trying to do the right thing, the chaos of the moment led to confusion among the bystanders who had gathered. Witnesses to the scene, who likely didn't have all the facts, wrongly assumed that Collins was not the hero of the situation, but the aggressor.
Starting point is 06:58:21 Some even believed that he had launched a racially motivated attack. This misinterpretation of events led to Collins being wrongly accused of being the perpetrator rather than the Savior. To make matters worse, when Collins attempted to clarify the situation, things got even more complicated. He ordered the onlookers to stay back and informed them that he was, in fact, a police officer. According to the bystanders, he repeatedly said, I am a police officer, we wait for backup. Despite his statements, the growing crowd did not seemed to trust his words, and the situation spiraled out of control. When metropolitan police officers arrived at the scene, they immediately arrested Collins, not understanding the full
Starting point is 06:59:06 context of the situation. He was charged with several serious offenses, including grievous bodily harm, GBH, resisting arrest, and impersonating a police officer. His quick thinking and courageous actions were, in the eyes of the law, interpreted as something much more sinister. As Collins's case moved through the court system, his lawyer argued that his statements were misunderstood. His defense contended that Collins had not been impersonating an officer but was simply trying to defuse a tense situation while waiting for real police backup. His actions were not fraudulent, rather, he was making every effort to handle the situation in a calm and controlled manner. According to his lawyer, Collins was trying to reassure the crowd and bring order to the confusion, and his words were misconstrued. In the court case that followed, several bystanders, including the victim of the mugging,
Starting point is 07:00:01 provided witness statements that helped clarify the misunderstanding. These accounts played a critical role in Collins S acquittal of the charges related to resisting arrest and impersonating a police officer. However, despite being acquitted on those charges, the court found that Collins S actions in restraining the mugger had been disproportionate to the situation. While his intentions were commendable, the level of force he used. was deemed excessive, resulting in a conviction for G.B.H. For this offense, Collins was given a suspended sentence, meaning that he would not serve jail time but would be under the threat of
Starting point is 07:00:36 imprisonment if he committed any future offenses. Although his legal battle was far from over, Collins soon found himself involved in a civil case against the Metropolitan Police. His lawyer argued that his client had suffered both physically and emotionally as a result of the wrongful arrest, which had been captured on video and posted online. The footage, which showed Collins being detained by officers, had caused significant reputational damage. The experience, his lawyer claimed, had left Collins dealing with ongoing physical injuries, as well as emotional trauma that had negatively impacted his life. Collins' case took a dramatic turn when the High Court ruled in his favor.
Starting point is 07:01:18 The court recognized that his arrest had been unjustified and that the charges of against him had been wrongly applied. The judge also acknowledged that Collins had sustained injuries during the arrest, including damage to his torso, right arm, and shoulder. Additionally, his reputation had suffered considerably, and his career prospects had been harmed by the events surrounding the incident. As a result, Collins was awarded a total of 45,000 pounds in compensation. This amount included 6,400 pounds to cover his legal fees, 30,000. 26,600 pounds for the emotional, physical, and reputational harm he had endured, and 2,000 pounds for the health costs related to the injuries he had sustained.
Starting point is 07:02:02 The court also granted Collins a written apology from the Metropolitan Police, acknowledging that the arrest was an error in assuring him that the officers involved had been appropriately disciplined and retrained. The apology from the Metropolitan Police marked the end of a long and difficult chapter for Collins. While the compensation was a financial relief, it could not undo the damage that had been done to his reputation or the trauma he had experienced as a result of the arrest. Still, the legal victory was an important step in restoring his name and holding the authorities
Starting point is 07:02:35 accountable for their mistakes. For Collins, the entire ordeal had been a reminder of how quickly things can spiral out of control, even when someone is trying to do the right thing. His actions, though motivated by a desire to help, were misinterpreted, and this led to him being punished rather than praised. The incident was a harsh lesson in the complexities of law enforcement and public perception, as well as the dangers of jumping to conclusions in chaotic situations. In the months following the trial, Collins continued to live in Australia at his aunt's house, trying to move on from the ordeal and focus on his future. Despite the challenges he faced,
Starting point is 07:03:14 he remained determined to continue his studies and rebuild his life. The case had been a defining moment for him, not only because of the legal and emotional hurdles he had overcome but also because it had forced him to reconsider his role in law enforcement and the responsibilities that come with wearing a uniform. While the apology and compensation were a form of justice, Collins S. experience raised important questions about the way law enforcement handles situations involving foreign nationals and the potential for misunderstandings in high-stress environments. It also highlighted the dangers of taking the law into one's own hands, even with the best
Starting point is 07:03:51 intentions. Collins'S actions, though well-meaning, had ultimately led to significant consequences, and the case served as a cautionary tale for others who might find themselves in similar situations. Despite the fallout, Collins remained optimistic about his future. He was still dedicated to his career in law enforcement and why, wanted to use the lessons he had learned to help others in the future. While the experience had been traumatic, it had also given him a new sense of resilience and determination. He knew that he could face challenges head on and that no matter how difficult the road ahead, he had
Starting point is 07:04:27 the strength to overcome whatever came his way. As for the Metropolitan Police, the apology and retraining program for the officers involved was an important step toward ensuring that something like this would not happen again. While it was clear that mistakes had been made, the steps taken to address those mistakes were a positive sign of accountability and a recognition of the need for better training and understanding of how to handle complex situations involving individuals from different backgrounds. In the end, Collins's story was one of both tragedy and triumph. It was a story of a young man who had tried to do the right thing but found himself caught in a web of misunderstandings and legal challenges. Yet, through perseverance in a commitment to
Starting point is 07:05:10 justice, he had emerged victorious, with his reputation restored and his sense of purpose stronger than ever. His journey was a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. Part three, I decided to go full nuclear. Fuck her, fuck her reputation, fuck Lewis, fuck Joanna, fuck everybody. They all treated me like I was a joke. All these years lying to my face, betraying me in every way. At the time of my life, last posting I had only gone through the telegram messages. That second phone of hers had email accounts dating back to before we were dating. It had texts between her and Joanna. It had Reddit accounts I didn't know about. This bitch has been facilitating her cheating since day one. I still
Starting point is 07:05:57 remember the time Flora said she was going to lunch with Joanna only for Joanna to show up at the house to drop something off. Sneaky bitch can think on her feet because she totally sold me on her lies. Faking that she forgot they were meeting and needed to hustle over to the cafe. How could I be so fucking naive? I figured out through all this that, Lewis and Flora began having sex days before I asked her out, and never stopped. They have been having an affair for 16 years, right under my nose. He has dated others, gotten married, and divorced in that time. We've hung out countless times. Were each other's best man? She has been with at least a dozen other men during that span, I'm sure more than that.
Starting point is 07:06:38 Every fucking teaching conference she ever went to, it looks like she hooked up with someone or brought someone with her. The videos are literally disgusting. She has pics, vids, sexting saved all over this device. She had a video, of some fucking asshole, finishing all over her engagement ring while she's wearing it. It's dated three days after I proposed. The most painful part, there are messages between her and Lewis, that imply he may be the
Starting point is 07:07:04 father of Rachel. I took my kids to get DNA tests finally last week. I wasn't going to, but the worry got to me. I have to know. I don't know what I will do if they are just side effects of her infidelity. They aren't happy with me anyway, neither is my family. They don't think I should have gone nuclear. What good does it do now, they said. Fuck that. Everyone should know what kind of woman she really was. I'm not protecting her image, listening to people say how wonderful of a person she was. She wasn't, she was just a conniving whore. I posted everywhere.
Starting point is 07:07:41 I put together hundreds of texts, message, picks, censored, voice recording, everything I could into one big file. Then I posted it on all of socials, and all of Flores. I tagged everyone I could. Lewis and Joanna for sure, even highlighted parts for everyone. A few other co-workers and friends who fucked her as well. didn't want anyone to feel left out family friends i even tagged the school page that has me on administrative leave for the time being it also appears there's quite an investigation going on now Fireings are on the horizon as it looks like school grounds may have been used at times. I don't give a fuck what happens to that place.
Starting point is 07:08:22 I'm leaving. I already made up my mind. I'm not staying in Eagle. I'm going to go far, far from here. At least I got the bitch's life insurance money. Once I get the DNA results back I'm out. Part 4. Nobody gets it, nobody. I, Sebastian 40M, found out last year after she died that my wife Flora had been cheating on me
Starting point is 07:08:44 for our entire relationship. She wasn't just having an affair with one other guy, she wasn't cheating because of all the problems in our marriage, there weren't any. She was cheating because she could. She was a cake eater. She roped me in, got me to fall for her. I was the good dad, the reliable, safe, supportive guy she could come home to every day.
Starting point is 07:09:05 Over the years she worked me over to treating her like a queen. For that I got to find out that she used every opportunity possible to fuck other guys. They got all the crazy stuff, stuff she never wanted to do with me. We had an active sex life, but it was all love-making. Even if I asked, she always said she preferred to feel, close to me, how someone can do all that she did, I will never understand. She is the most awful, disgusting, deceitful person I have ever met. I feel no remorse about showing the world exactly who she was.
Starting point is 07:09:36 My only wish is that she was still alive to face it. Although I probably wouldn't even know still if she hadn't died. That's what hurts too. I don't get to confront her. I don't get to make her face her lies. Yes, I did blow up the lives of a lot of the people. Notably my ex-best friend Louis. But it just feels so unfinished.
Starting point is 07:09:57 She has ruined so many lives. Three people were fired from the school. I don't even know how many divorces and separations are happening. I know two friends of mine are now in divorce proceedings. Just the ultimate selfish bitch. What she has done to me, Hannah, and her kids, though, is by far the worst. I got all the DNA tests back shortly after my last posting. Only Hannah is my child.
Starting point is 07:10:23 Rachel and Julia have the same father, Lewis. I was also able to find the evidence that he did know this. It kind of explains why he always seemed so much more supportive and interested in them than Wyatt or Hannah. Thanks to ancestry testing kits, we also figured out that Wyatt is the son of an assistant principal that worked at our school for two. years before moving on to a different district. I made sure to post all the messages between him and Flora, along with the test results to his Facebook, and his wife's Facebook. This is what has everyone up my ass at the moment. I honestly don't know what they all want from me. Rachel, Wyatt and Julia are not my kids, they are just these constant reminders that
Starting point is 07:11:02 my dead wife was a deranged sociopath. I have moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico with Hannah. I did not bring the other three with me, I care about their well-being, and hold them at no fault, but I do not love them anymore. They should have been raised by their own fathers. My parents have decided to take them in. Because of this I have gone no contact with my family. I only deal with them in regards to the legal matters at hand. I had immediately cut off my dead wife's side of the family the first time they brought up the concept of forgiveness. I will never forgive. Currently I am in the legal process of disowning floor as three children. My parents did accept guardianship of them immediately, and I have been paying child support.
Starting point is 07:11:44 However, since I have clear evidence of who the biological fathers are I have filed to end my child support of the three children. My lawyer thinks I have a very good chance of pulling this off. I am also searching for legal grounds in which to file suit against these two men in an effort to recoup some of the financial burden I have been under for the last 14 years. Since moving to Santa Fe, I have changed careers. I am now working as a loan officer, which not surprisingly pays quite a bit better than being a teacher. I have a small one-bedroom apartment and the child support wipes out a lot of my funds
Starting point is 07:12:15 every month. I am pushing to get my case resolved quickly so that I can begin to rebuild my life. Hannah has taken the transition hard. She is only eight years old and doesn't fully understand why we moved or why she can't see Flora's children. To her they are her brother and sisters, but I have been trying to explain to her that they are not, and never were. They were simply by products of her mother's lies. We are adjusting. I would like to put her into therapy, but that won't be possible until I clear up these legal matters. I am only 40 years old now.
Starting point is 07:12:47 I can still find someone to grow old with, I can still have more children of my own. It may take some time, but I'm not giving up on my life. I have a lot of good times ahead of me. Part 5. My name is Sebastian, 60M. I have been with my wonderful wife, Olga 57F, for the last 19 years. Technically we are not married, I refuse to ever get married again, but we do refer to each other as husband and wife.
Starting point is 07:13:12 We have two sons together, Kurt, 18M, and Lee, 15M. For the most part, the last 20 years of my life have been pretty good. I have a very committed and loving relationship with Olga. We met when I was at my lowest. My first wife had died suddenly, and in the aftermath of her passing I learned that she was pathological cheater. She had cheated with many people in my life, and three of her children were fathered by other men. However, she led me to believe that they were my children. As it turned out, only our youngest child Hannah was my biological child.
Starting point is 07:13:46 Hannah lived with me until she was 18 years old and moved out when she went to college. She had some troubles during her adolescent years, which was to be expected after the damage that her mother caused her. She rebounded though and we have had a pretty solid relationship. Most of the friction we did have centered around the feelings she had for her half-siblings, and grandparents. It took a long time to get her to understand. The last 10 to 12 years or so though have been good, and largely devoid of any mention of the past. When I met Olga, it was like everything turned around. I won a number of legal battles that allowed me to move on from my past. These two events have been the catalyst that has allowed me to live to the fullest for
Starting point is 07:14:25 the last 20 years. My family and I have visited every continent, except Antarctica. We love to travel and experience the world. My sons and I have a bond that I have always cherished. It began before they were even born. My wife, knowing the trauma of my past marriage, had them both paternity tested in utero just to ease my mind. There is no chance they are someone else's. Hannah has been a good big sister to them.
Starting point is 07:14:51 This leads me to my biggest issue in many years. Hannah and I have built a good relationship, after the rough patch I mentioned above. When she graduated high school, she went to New Mexico St. University in Los Cruces. She did very well and graduated after four years. She found a job there and has lived in Las Cruces since then. She still came home during breaks in college and for the whole summer. Since graduating, I get to see her about four times a year.
Starting point is 07:15:18 I make one trip down a year and she comes home on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Memorial weekend. I'm saying all this to show that we do have a great relationship, and we're able to overcome all the chaos caused by her mother. The issue is, she apparently reconnected with her half-siblings about four years ago. I had no idea. I also can't understand how she can do this, knowing how much distress this would cause me. As it turns out, she also reconnected with my father. He is the only grandparent she has that is still alive. From what I understand he is still doing fairly well for a man of 83 years. I could maybe get past this. Liva, don't ask, don't tell, situation between her and them. Yet, the other half of this is unacceptable. Two and half years ago Hannah
Starting point is 07:16:04 met her fiancé Tony. They don't work together, but the places they work at are next to each other. I like Tony a lot, he treats Hannah well and is an upstanding young man. Their wedding is set for one month from now. I have minimally contributed to her wedding. Tony's family comes from some wealth, not world-changing, but they are doing very well. With that being the case, and him being the one that really wants a large wedding, his family is huge, he has six siblings, and something like 25 first cousins, they are largely footing the bill. As the father of the bride, I am obviously on task to walk her down the aisle, give a speech, and have a daddy-slash-daughter dance. Hannah, however, just informed me that she has invited Rachel, Wyatt, Julia, and my father to the
Starting point is 07:16:48 wedding. I am 100% against this and have made this known to her. I do not want any contact with these people. That especially goes for my father who chose my cheating whore ex-wife's children over me. The other three I hold no ill-will towards, it was their mother's doing, but at the same time I have no desire to see them. It's just too painful. I think what is also causing me some level of uneasiness is that my son seemed to think I should put the past behind me. I will never forgive, I will never forget. They think I should just be there for Hannah on this one day. My wife is largely supportive of me and has told me that I do not have to attend if I do not wish to. That I have made my feelings clear to Hannah, and that it is now in her hands to make a decision.
Starting point is 07:17:32 She will not attend if I choose not to. This is dredging up all sorts of negative emotions I haven't had to deal with in a long time. I hate the idea of missing my daughter's wedding, but I cannot in good conscience be around those associated with the worst period of my life. I just think I need help in figuring out how best to get Hannah to see the error in this. How do I get her to understand once again? Part 6, even after being dead for 20 years, that fucking cunt finds a way to fuck my life. About two weeks ago now my daughter Hannah had her wedding. In the weeks leading up I made it abundantly clear that I was not comfortable having her half-siblings or my father attend.
Starting point is 07:18:09 It all came to a head with a big argument between Hannah and I ten days before the wedding. She called me selfish and weak. I pushed back and she just opened this floodgate. telling me how awful I was for cutting her off from her entire life. That she was eight years old and had just lost her mother when her father suddenly went on a personal mission to destroy every positive memory anyone had of her. That she justified all my actions, and tried to understand my point of view, but deep down always resented me for taking her away from her entire family, her home, everything. I couldn't believe this onslaught, after everything I had done to get her to understand. Her mother was a despicable human, anyone who would side with her was equally as disgusting.
Starting point is 07:18:49 The only thing that saved Hannah was that she was also half me. Apparently that wasn't enough and now she was choosing others over me as well. I told her I wouldn't be attending her wedding at all. Hannah hung up the phone at that point and we haven't spoken since. As painful as that was, the greater betrayal came at the hands of my own sons. They still attended the wedding. My wife and I stayed behind, but they said they were going to support her. their sister. They even took my place. Kurt walked Hannah down the aisle. Lee gave a speech.
Starting point is 07:19:21 I know this because Kurt sent me the wedding video diary yesterday. I wasn't going to watch it, but curiosity got the best of me. He only sent it to me to twist the knife. I was so angry after they spurred me and when I told them they were cut off. I told Kurt he was to move out. I couldn't get rid of Lee but told him he was dead to me now. He had the next 2.5 years to because the day he turned 18 he would be leaving two. That's when Olga, who had been supportive up until that moment intervened. She told me I wasn't kicking them out, and that I would be leaving before her son's would.
Starting point is 07:19:55 We got into a huge argument and I left the house. I have been staying in a rental unit I own for the past ten days. Today, I received a buy-out offer on our home. Olga is leaving me, she says she has been understanding of my pain for 20 years. That she always believed I was a good man who had something to be. terrible done to me. She said she knows she was wrong, yes, what happened to me was terrible, but I am not a good man. That seeing it firsthand, how easily I can throw people away, has forever changed her opinion of me. Well, fuck her. They just don't get it. They will never get it.
Starting point is 07:20:31 None of them. That fucking whore didn't just cheat. She humiliated me, she fucked my friends, my co-workers, she tricked me into raising her bastard children. There is nothing worse than that. Everything about her is vile, everything that came from her, everyone she tainted. I'll accept that buyout, I'll sell my two rentals. I'll start over again. I'm moving on, I've been able to retire for a few years now and that's just what I will do, then I'm heading for somewhere far from all these traitors. I can't believe she is still doing this to me.
Starting point is 07:21:03 She's dead, I destroyed her name, cut off everyone who defended her, dumped her ashes, moved far from our tainted home. And yet here I am, all alone, with everyone turning their backs on. me. Flora, you sick bitch, I guess you got the last laugh after all. Christa planned to return home had to, pick up finish eating go, the practices but something happened that prevented. May the girl go back to, home, we start. On November 11, 2008, Krista, he got up early from his cat and, he went to class took notes spoke with, classmates with teachers end, then Fold took the bus and returned to. House once there he played with his cat and, he put study he
Starting point is 07:21:43 took books placed them, in his room in the dining room in the kitchen, and more or less at five in the afternoon, he remembered that he had not eaten so it was. To the kitchen he opened the fridge. First he found and warmed him in the, stove at 5.30 called the bell of, your house and on the other side of the door, was his friend Ricky Gelbauer according to. This Christa man was so happy, as always was cheerful animated with, strength and told him a couple of problems, that he had at that time he told him that a week before he broke with her boyfriend and that he made his bags and went with his parents the rent had uploaded a little and she couldn't pay that yet so i was very happy with if a brought of waitress and intended to sell her car in very short another would have more money work and to move would use the bus a rick was done by a world but Krista was very happy gossip. They commented on some things and then, they hugged and said goodbye at 6.30. Kriza had practices in the greenhouse of Hunter Park, but unfortunately not. His father
Starting point is 07:22:43 appeared an hour later. He called her but immediately jumped the. Mailbox tried to contact her during. The next four days sent him. Messages called her but lived so far and, I had so much work that I couldn't see it. Thus he contacted to his friends for, to call the bell and see what. The girls go through the door. They contact the homemade and the three. Together they enter the apartment is there. When they meet a house, frozen in time lights on, books in the room in the dining room in the, cook a plate of food that has not been, tested and a very nervous cat and very, sad immediately denounces the disappearance of Crowleys but the days and years and never again, no one knows about her again. Music. Christ Robin L. Z. was born on May 2nd, 1974 in Michigan of Parents Just. We have
Starting point is 07:23:31 information but what ho. We know that the girl was always. An exceptional person was responsible, organized very smiling and above all very, confident has an incredible capacity, to make friends and everyone. I wanted madness from good little, loved the plants and always dreamed of, have your own greenhouse hat, many plants, many flowers, many, vines and came to consider, study about them Krista studied in, St. Clair High School and after, graduated signed up for Botany Inn, Sinclair County Community College after. This studied horticulture at University, Michigan State and not happy with, that intended to run for a program, postgraduate at University of Cornell. As I said before this girl, characterized by being
Starting point is 07:24:13 very organized and very responsible in the morning, studied and in the afternoon I worked in, stores and restaurants in any sight they had for her. He studied work saved him, Time to everything and with the passage of time, this girl managed to become independent from, Maidwent Rent at number 1100, from Eureka Street at Lansing, Michigan, once installed he adopted a cat that was, I was going to become his best friend Mote and, according to some blogs more than a cat for, she was a child and always said, that man would like to be with her, I had to accept that cat was his, number one priority at the beginning of 2008. When Christ was 34 he met A, Type seven years older than her called, Bradley Cornoa and quickly fell in love.
Starting point is 07:24:57 From him this man whom everyone called, Brad had completely crazy Krista. For his bones he treated her very well, bought flowers but the family. Of the girl did not accept it they saw that there. Subject was not clean wheat hid something. That has a dark hour and also, they were convinced that among them, they did not fit Krista had studies. Superiors was responsible had, ambitions dreams, but Brat only, had basic studies this sounds very, very, very classist bad but according to the family. Kista Brat had no ambitions no, I had aspirations I didn't want to do anything.
Starting point is 07:25:30 With his life he has a work day, complete but apart from that it does not have. Interest for nothing to work for going to. House to return to work there was nothing. More there in Christ on the contrary had. Great Dreams Botanical Study. Horticulture wanted to continue forming. Tena a greenhouse however nobody, he was able to get Brat out of his head, and every d that passed were more and more united soon after the christa the christa rose to the rent end brad asked him to live together he had a work of more hours and earned more money with which with two salaries the thing would go much better so the girl ended accepting the boy makes his bags mute with her and the first weeks everything was luxurious perfect coexistence passion unleashed but with the passage of days things were twisting christa began to see that brat was not clean wheat and that
Starting point is 07:26:19 his family had. Reason knew that Brat was hiding him. Something but I didn't know what it was and then discovered that someone used their phone to pay $500 in Porlo Somberry. It could only be Brat so he did the suitcases and put it with legs in the street. I didn't want excuses, I didn't want arguments. I wanted this man out of his. Life on November 11th, 2008 had passed. A week since Krista broke with. Braden felt stronger than ever. He was alone with his cat hat. Part time work friends. I felt full of life but they're just just. Since they broke the brat every day, I was calling it was sending her. Flower and Christ messages told, everyone who was already fed up was not going to. Going back to him didn't want to know anything and, I was convinced that it deserved
Starting point is 07:27:04 something. Better on the 11th he got up early. He picked up the house to the cat gave him, eat and then took the bus and left. Classes took notes spoke with the, classmates with teachers and then, he took the bus and returned home once. At home he decided to to study for a while. The books the notebooks left them in the dining room in your room in the kitchen and the five recalled that he had not eaten four. Who opened the fridge took food and the, he did the stoves but at 5.30, he received a small interruption and is, that his friend Rick's Digglebauer called the, Puerto spoke a while commented on the, play what was happening gossip and then they said goodbye at 6.30, Krista. I had to go to Hunter's Greenhouse. Park this greenhouse
Starting point is 07:27:46 was alone, half a mile of his house but the minutes. They passed and the girl did not appear was a, plants lover and never da. A single practice jumped could be missing, a class to a talk at a conference, but a practice was unthinkable so, some people decided to call it, but his phone seemed off a time later at 7.30 the, Krista's father called her on the phone. She has a surprise for her and is that. Very brief were going to release the movie. Madagascar 2 and Krista was very fan. Stuffed posters and his father wanted. Invite her to the cinema go to the premiere together. Eat popcorn but the phone. Christa is off for four days. He tried to contact her. Messages called her and at some point though. This man was full of voice mailbox. He lived and worked in Sinclair to
Starting point is 07:28:31 almost two hours by car from the city of Lansing. So go and return if not really. Nothing had happened does not have any sense with which he decided to contact with two friends from her daughter Murray Stewart. Jones and Julie Jordan these girls were, practically its neighbors end. They immediately called the bell. They hit the door looked at the windows, but there was no Krista. Trace grabbed the phone and called, to his homemade and this man did not know either. Nothing met them opened the door and the three together discovered, that the apartment was frozen in, time lights on books in the, dining room in the room in the kitchen, but of Krista LZ there was neither a trace nor a, note and I a message was as if the girl would have
Starting point is 07:29:12 come out to return immediately but that return never produced seemed that someone who was studying had gone a moment thinking about quickly returning julie jordan christ a friend immediately put a complaint at the closest police station and the police got to work they registered the house from cabo to a tail but the door found nothing suspicious the entrance had not been forced the windows were not broken and there was no struggle signs anywhere or signs of struggle or blood or evidence A theft and another very interesting thing is, that the Krista car is parked, just at the door that does not have, no meaning and therefore, though. First Krista hypothesis was, studying and more or less at five remembered, who had not eaten took the food, though. He did and before in car tooth his,
Starting point is 07:29:58 friend Rick knocked on the door, he from 5.30 to six later, they fired and the girl came back, at home and just when someone did, more contacted her a friend A, family and acquaintance, and she opened the door and left with this person to take a small walk that is. He extended eternally Krista planned to return. Home had to pick up finish. Study eating practices but, something happened that prevented the girl from. I went home with this hypothesis in, mind the police begin. Interrogations talked to parents with, friends with neighbors and four, supposed with his ex-partner but, unfortunately at least at first not, find nothing when they ask Brad Corny his. Elia disappearance of Krista is safe, that since they broke up nothing more, of her who did not see that they did not
Starting point is 07:30:44 speak, that did not exchange messages and the, police discard it quickly but the, the girl's father tells a story, completely different that it was, harassing that he called her sent her, messages that went to his house that, I asked family friends and what was it, very heavy and very insistent so that Krista came back with him the father of the, girl asks agents to look for, phone call record. Christa that look at the registration and, check if I did the truth. And indeed the last is right. Person with whom Krista spoke for. Telephone was Brad Kornua and did it. Minutes after saying goodbye to your friend Rick spoke with Brad for some minutes and then hung the call with. This information the police call brat. For another interrogation and once in, police station does not know
Starting point is 07:31:28 what to say said that the call did not have the slightest. Importance and that for that reason, deleted from his mind that they said four nonsense that we're not going to return that everything it was fine and then hung up without further ado when asked if he saw him that day brad replied that not supposedly the subject gives a solid load but when police investigate a little more his story has fissures the night of eleven november bratt was supposedly in x place but according to the records police this was not entirely true since a patrol found his car standing with emergency lights in there, us 127 highway guns south of, launched a patrol has behind him, agents go to the window, of the driver and ask if he needs, helps what the
Starting point is 07:32:12 subject responds that no, that a crane is already coming, worry that nothing serious is happening, and ask the agents to move forward. This story could be a simple, anecdote but one of the agents of, police pointed the registration and the point, exact in which they found that Data vehicle that will later be important the months pass and someone decides to investigate the exact point in the that Brad's car was found. Nua that point was located next to, a completely desert field and four, incredible that may seem there they found. Krista belongings ELZ your card, identification your credit card end, your completely shattered mobile until, here we have two points that smell very, bad to start Brad says he didn't know, no glass of, did not talk to her that she did not send her. but phone registration. The girl says the opposite, though. He was harassing he sent him messages and the day of her disappearance spoke with her. Maid Brad was the last person who,
Starting point is 07:33:08 spoke with Krista and then we have to, instead in which he stopped his car for. An alleged breakdown months later, they found things about the girl throughout. From the years the case passed to, different inspectors and in true moment to one of them came up with, and asked the exact location of, Kista and Brad phones the day. The girl disappeared. and turned out that the subject once again the day had lied of the disappearance was supposedly in another city I had work had commitments but it really was near the brat girl was in Lansing with which he could perfectly kidnap and kill her hear the police I was sure they had the case end therefore they created the following hypothesis Christa I could assume it called her
Starting point is 07:33:50 messages harassed friends to relatives and on November 11th he called her and he was with her Krista didn't want to come back, so left the house upside down, thinking that in five minutes I would return there, left the light on the cats the cat, the food and then went out and, he went for a walk with Brad Kornua. They were going to be five minutes ten maximum and, then Krista would return home but, unfortunately something went very bad and it is, that Brat see that they were not going to return. He angered and lost control in some moment he killed Krista and then, decide of the body and went to the road. and threw in the middle of the field the identification and phone card of Krista but what I did not count is
Starting point is 07:34:31 one that the police would find it there what would the patrol stop they would ask what happened in with what then they would point their registration unfortunately there is a big problem in the case and is that without body there is no crime in 2015 the TR program crime daily decided to dedicate a little documentary to this case and it was directly to the mother's house of Brat Dona Olson once there they made a pair of questions to women and her. Although he was quite collaborative, he did not risk saying anything compromising. About this story at some point, though, interviewer asked directly, if he believed that Brad had something to do with.
Starting point is 07:35:08 This case and Dona responded, I sincerely do not know I hope for God. No, but I don't really know in half of the interview appear Brat and, his new wife and the atmosphere becomes. Very tense Brad is very defensive and, when asked about Krista releases what. Next, why don't you investigate your moral stupid do not want the truth. They make a good pair of. Shoes she adds to crack. Drug addict and alcoholic killed eight. Babies these words outraged. A lot of loved ones from Krista. Since for them it was all a lie was. An organized responsible girl had. Studies was working. Time I studied had aspirations. Dreams took care of his cat was good, good neighbor and say all this. She makes no chista sense, and Brad left very little
Starting point is 07:35:53 time and lived, together during three months insinuating that. Porto eight times that it was alcoholic, drug addict and all that does not have any, meaning and the reason for the rupture was not, for her but by Brat because this subjected things and because also, I had something very dark Kisan didn't trust. Of him and according to his loved ones he was a, completely clean girl in. Words of this man looked, deep resentment towards Christa Lee's, and everything seemed to be confirmed with the next data and that is that the interviewer asked directly, what did the police think, that he had something to do with the. Christ disappearance to what Brad? The following responded to people believe what, that, once the years pass and arrives 2020, moments when
Starting point is 07:36:36 Brad Corny appears, in all media because it has finally been accused of the murder of Crowell-Lows. TR crime daily years ago made public that this man had a history, very serious background but until the last year many people do not have, no idea of that since the media does not. They covered their official crimes. They date back to when this man had, 18 years at that age decided to get out of. Fiesta get drunk and end the night, sinking through the window of a apartment located in Mason for the, napped tip to a woman who lived, alone for that crime the year. 1986 was condemned to comply between 10 and 15 years in prison was released in the year 2000 but as soon as he stepped on the street the police record say that or sexually to a minor who was a relative his and that because of this he returned to prison eight more years was put to freedom 2007 and supposedly during the following months did not commit any crime more and at the beginning of 2008 began to get out with crystal as during your relationship the disappearance of the girl and end. The subsequent years supposedly, history is clean did not get into. Pellies did not attack
Starting point is 07:37:45 anyone killed. No one but in 2017 he was accused again of a disgusting crime and that is that the party decided a girl of. Fifteen years sent him by the mobile photos of its intimate parts even a biasel, starring himself some. Pages say that apart from all this offered money in exchange for having relationships with him and for all this. Obviously he was arrested and returned to prison that when he does again. Very controversial statements and it is that half of the trial released the following. These photos that in fact do not exist, they used to incriminate me before the eyes. Of the jury Mr. Bill Crino and his, detectives are the ones trying processes, arm for homicide and that's what it is about. All this of an alleged homicide, while in prison complying, condemn in December
Starting point is 07:38:32 2020 justice, formally accused him of the murder of, Cal we don't know if there are more tests, witness evidence we know nothing about that but we know that in 2021 it is going to carry out the trial against this. Unfortunately the problem is that we still do not have the body of the victim and without body is very complicated. Condem so now is your turn. What do you think of the case and you think that finally? Let's go the truth. Nobody gets it, nobody. I, Sebastian 40M, found out last year after she died that my wife Flora had been cheating on me for our entire relationship. She wasn't just having an affair with one other guy, she wasn't cheating because of all the problems in our marriage, there weren't any.
Starting point is 07:39:14 She was cheating because she could. She was a cake eater. She roped me in, got me to fall for her. I was the good dad, the reliable, safe, supportive guy she could come home to every day. Over the years she worked me over to treating her like a queen. For that I got to find out that she used every opportunity possible to fight her. other guys. They got all the crazy stuff, stuff she never wanted to do with me. We had an active sex life, but it was all love-making. Even if I asked, she always said she preferred to feel,
Starting point is 07:39:44 close to me, how someone can do all that she did, I will never understand. She is the most awful, disgusting, deceitful person I have ever met. I feel no remorse about showing the world exactly who she was. My only wish is that she was still alive to face it. Although I probably wouldn't even know still if she hadn't died. That's what hurts, too. I don't get to confront her. I don't get to make her face her lies. Yes, I did blow up the lives of a lot of the people.
Starting point is 07:40:14 Notably my ex-best friend Louis. But it just feels so unfinished. She has ruined so many lives. Three people were fired from the school. I don't even know how many divorces and separations are happening. I know two friends of mine are now in divorce proceedings. Just the ultimate selfish bitch. What she has done to me, Hannah, and her kids, though, is by far the worst.
Starting point is 07:40:39 I got all the DNA tests back shortly after my last posting. Only Hannah is my child. Rachel and Julia have the same father, Lewis. I was also able to find the evidence that he did know this. It kind of explains why he always seemed so much more supportive and interested in them than Wyatt or Hannah. Thanks to ancestry testing kits, we also figured out that Wyatt is the son of a assistant principal that worked at our school for two years before moving on to a different district. I made sure to post all the messages between him and Flora, along with the test
Starting point is 07:41:10 results to his Facebook, and his wife's Facebook. This is what has everyone up my ass at the moment. I honestly don't know what they all want from me. Rachel, Wyatt, and Julia are not my kids, they are just these constant reminders that my dead wife was a deranged sociopath. I have moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico with Hannah. I did not bring the other three with me, I care about their well-being, and hold them at no fault, but I do not love them anymore. They should have been raised by their own fathers. My parents have decided to take them in. Because of this I have gone no contact with my family.
Starting point is 07:41:45 I only deal with them in regards to the legal matters at hand. I had immediately cut off my dead wife's side of the family the first time they brought up the concept of forgiveness. I will never forgive. Currently I am in the legal process of disowning floor as three children. My parents did accept guardianship of them immediately, and I have been paying child support. However, since I have clear evidence of who the biological fathers are I have filed to end my child support of the three children.
Starting point is 07:42:12 My lawyer thinks I have a very good chance of pulling this off. I am also searching for legal grounds in which to file suit against these two men in an effort to recoup some of the financial burden I have been under for the last 14 years. Since moving to Santa Fe, I have changed careers. I am now working as a loan officer, which not surprisingly pays quite a bit better than being a teacher. I have a small one-bedroom apartment and the child support wipes out a lot of my funds every month. I am pushing to get my case resolved quickly so that I can begin to rebuild my life. Hannah has taken the transition hard. She is only eight years old and doesn't fully understand
Starting point is 07:42:47 why we moved or why she can't see Flora's children. To her they are her brother and sisters, but I have been trying to explain to her that they are not, and never were. They were simply by products of her mother's lies. We are adjusting. I would like to put her into therapy, but that won't be possible until I clear up these legal matters. I am only 40 years old now. I can still find someone to grow old with, I can still have more children of my own. It may take some time, but I'm not giving up on my life.
Starting point is 07:43:17 I have a lot of good times ahead of me. My name is Sebastian, 60M. I have been with my wonderful wife, Olga 57F, for the last 19 years. Technically we are not married, I refuse to ever get married again, but we do refer to each other as husband and wife. We have two sons together, Kurt, 18m, and Lee, 15M. For the most part the last 20 years of my life have been pretty good. I have a very committed and loving relationship with Olga.
Starting point is 07:43:45 We met when I was at my lowest. My first wife had died suddenly, and in the aftermath of her passing I learned that she was a pathological cheater. She had cheated with many people in my life, and three of her children were fathered by other men. However, she led me to believe that they were my children. As it turned out, only our youngest child Hannah was my biological child. Hannah lived with me until she was 18 years old and moved out when she went to college. She had some troubles during her adolescent years, which was to be expected after the damage
Starting point is 07:44:15 that her mother caused her. She rebounded though and we have had a pretty solid relationship. Most of the friction we did have centered around the feelings she had for. for her half-siblings, and grandparents. It took a long time to get her to understand. The last 10 to 12 years or so though have been good, and largely devoid of any mention of the past. When I met Olga, it was like everything turned around.
Starting point is 07:44:38 I won a number of legal battles that allowed me to move on from my past. These two events have been the catalyst that has allowed me to live to the fullest for the last 20 years. My family and I have visited every continent, except Antarctica. We love to travel and experience the world. My sons and I have a bond that I have always cherished. It began before they were even born. My wife, knowing the trauma of my past marriage, had them both paternity tested in utero just to ease my mind.
Starting point is 07:45:06 There is no chance they are someone else's. Hannah has been a good big sister to them. This leads me to my biggest issue in many years. Hannah and I have built a good relationship, after the rough patch I mentioned above. When she graduated high school she went to New Mexico Saint University in Las Cruces. She did very well and graduated after four years. She found a job there and has lived in Las Cruces since then. She still came home during breaks in college and for the whole summer.
Starting point is 07:45:36 Since graduating, I get to see her about four times a year. I make one trip down a year and she comes home on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Memorial weekend. I'm saying all this to show that we do have a great relationship, and were able to overcome all the chaos caused by her mother. The issue is, she apparently reconnected with her house. half-siblings about four years ago. I had no idea. I also can't understand how she can do this, knowing how much distress this would cause me. As it turns out she also reconnected with my father. He is the only grandparent she has that is still alive. From what I understand he is still doing fairly well for a man of 83 years. I could maybe get past this.
Starting point is 07:46:16 Liva, don't ask, don't tell, situation between her and them. Yet, the other half of this is unacceptable. Two and half years ago Hannah met her fiancé Tony. They don't work together, but the places they work at are next to each other. I like Tony a lot, he treats Hannah well and is an upstanding young man. Their wedding is set for one month from now. I have minimally contributed to her wedding. Tony's family comes from some wealth, not world-changing, but they are doing very well. With that being the case, and him being the one that really wants a large wedding, his family is huge, he has six siblings, and something like 25 first cousins, they are largely footing the bill. As the father of the bride, I am obviously on task to walk
Starting point is 07:46:59 her down the aisle, give a speech, and have a daddy-slash-daughter dance. Hannah, however, just informed me that she has invited Rachel, Wyatt, Julia, and my father to the wedding. I am 100% against this and have made this known to her. I do not want any contact with these people. That especially goes for my father who chose my cheating whore ex-wife's children over me. The other three I hold no ill-will towards, it was their mother's doing, but at the same time I have no desire to see them. It's just too painful. I think what is also causing me some level of uneasiness is that my son seemed to think I should put the past behind me. I will never forgive, I will never forget. They think I should just be there for Hannah
Starting point is 07:47:40 on this one day. My wife is largely supportive of me and has told me that I do not have to attend if I do not wish to. That I have made my feelings clear to Hannah, and that it is now in her hands to make a decision. She will not attend if I choose not to. This is dredging up all sorts of negative emotions I haven't had to deal with in a long time. I hate the idea of missing my daughter's wedding, but I cannot in good conscience be around those associated with the worst period of my life. I just think I need help in figuring out how best to get Hannah to see the error in this. How do I get her to understand once again? Even after being dead for 20 years, that fucking cunt finds a way to fuck my life.
Starting point is 07:48:19 About two weeks ago now my daughter Hannah had her wedding. In the weeks leading up I made it abundantly clear that I was not comfortable having her half-siblings or my father attend. It all came to a head with a big argument between Hannah and I ten days before the wedding. She called me selfish and weak. I pushed back and she just opened this floodgate, telling me how awful I was for cutting her off from her entire life. That she was eight years old and had just lost her mother when her father suddenly went
Starting point is 07:48:46 on a personal mission to destroy every positive memory anyone had of her. That she justified all my actions, and tried to understand my point of view, but deep down always resented me for taking her away from her entire family, her home, everything. I couldn't believe this onslaught, after everything I had done to get her to understand. Her mother was a despicable human, anyone who would side with her was equally as disgusting. The only thing that saved Hannah was that she was also half me. Apparently that wasn't enough and now she was choosing others over me as well. I told her I wouldn't be attending her wedding at all.
Starting point is 07:49:20 Hannah hung up the phone at that point and we haven't spoken since. As painful as that was, the greater betrayal came at the hands of my own sons. They still attended the wedding. My wife and I stayed behind, but they said they were going to support their sister. They even took my place. Kurt walked Hannah down the aisle. Lee gave a speech. I know this because Kurt sent me the wedding video diary yesterday.
Starting point is 07:49:45 I wasn't going to watch it, but curiosity got the best of me. He only sent it to me to twist the knife. I was so angry after they spurred me and when I told them they were cut off. I told Kurt he was to move out. I couldn't get rid of Lee but told him he was dead to me now. He had the next 2.5 years to prep because the day he turned 18 he would be leaving too. That's when Olga, who had been supportive up until that moment intervened. She told me I wasn't kicking them out, and that I would be leaving before her sons would.
Starting point is 07:50:15 We got into a huge argument and I left the house. I had been staying in a rental unit I own for the past ten days. Today, I received a buy-out offer on our home. Olga is leaving me, she says she has been understanding of my pain for twenty years. That she always believed I was a good man who had something terrible done to me. She said she knows she was wrong, yes what happened to me was terrible, but I am not a good man. That seeing it firsthand, how easily I can throw people away, has forever changed her opinion of me.
Starting point is 07:50:46 Well, fuck her. They just don't get it. They will never get it. None of them. That fucking whore didn't just cheat. She humiliated me, she fucked my friends, my co-workers, she tricked me into raising her bastard children. There is nothing worse than that.
Starting point is 07:51:04 about her is vile, everything that came from her, everyone she tainted. I'll accept that buy-out, I'll sell my two rentals. I'll start over again. I'm moving on, I've been able to retire for a few years now and that's just what I will do, then I'm heading for somewhere far from all these traitors. I can't believe she is still doing this to me. She's dead, I destroyed her name, cut off everyone who defended her, dumped her ashes, moved far from our tainted home. And yet here I am, all alone, with everyone turning their backs on me. Flora, you sick bitch, I guess you got the last laugh after all. Part 1. My name is Sebastian, I am 39 years old.
Starting point is 07:51:42 I have been with my wife, Flora, for 16 years. 16 absolutely magical years. We met right after college, both first-year teachers at Eagle High School. I was in the math department and she was in the English department, total clichés I know. A bunch of us early career teachers used to go out almost every Friday night. Those were good times I wouldn't mind reliving. Both Flore, that's what I call her, and I made great friends with some of our co-workers, including a best friend for each of us.
Starting point is 07:52:12 Lewis was the best man in our wedding, and Joanna was her maid of honor. We rigged it so that she would get the bouquet and him to guard her at our wedding reception, but they never did date. It was natural between us from the start, there was some serious chemistry. She was so attractive. I was smitten from the word go. She told me she was two, but I didn't know. know it.
Starting point is 07:52:33 I've always been a bit oblivious. It took the entire first semester for me to finally get it together and ask her out. Her response, you had one more week than I was asking you out in front of everyone, almost two years to the day after that we got married on a beach in Puerto Rico. It was a small wedding, just family, and our best friends. We came back and had an amazing party with all of our teacher friends. Life seemed to move fast from there. Flora was pregnant just after our one-year anniversary.
Starting point is 07:53:01 we had another two years later, and another two years after that, and then for good measure one more two years after that. We were pretty good at this planning thing. Our kids have turned out great, each so different yet the same. It's weird saying that but it's true. Rachel is our oldest at 13, our only boy Wyatt is 11, Julia turns nine in two days, and Hannah is seven. They just all seem to excel at everything they do.
Starting point is 07:53:28 Rachel and Wyatt are so athletic, Julia is creative, and Hannah is is just the funniest sweetest little girl on the planet. Our family vacations, mostly camping trips, won't be the same anymore. Our 16 years together have been just the best time of my life. She was always so involved and extroverted. I became more of a home buddy over time. She coached the cheer team forever. I still went out some with her, but she kept busy with school events, coaching, and the kids' activities. I swear I married superwoman. Though despite our differences we never let that spark die. We had date nights, an active bedroom, and never went to bed or woke up without kisses. My favorite thing was holding her hand. I can't believe
Starting point is 07:54:11 this is all over. That we will never be Harbor Party of Six again. That's kind of why I am writing all this. I wanted to have a good moment, recall a few past memories. Try to remember that I was happy. Two days ago Flora died. Brain aneurysm. Just was on the treadmill at the gym. when suddenly she went down. That was it, she was gone, taken from us in a flash. The kids are being stronger than they ever should have to. Kids are so resilient. I'm doing my best to keep it together in front of them.
Starting point is 07:54:44 Our parents are helping, but are grieving too. Everyone loved Flora. Lewis and Joanna have been over a lot checking on us. I just cannot believe this has happened. How do I go on? I know I have to for my children. I just can't picture my life without her. I do not exaggerate when I say this is the worst pain imaginable. Hopefully it
Starting point is 07:55:05 lessens with time. I'm crying myself to sleep each night because I try to keep the breakdowns and sadness to a minimum so as to not trigger my children. They really need me now and I have to be the strong one and support them. I just need to get through the funeral, then we can start rebuilding our life. Anyway, that's it, no need for advice. I just need to pour this out. Get it off my chest, tell someone how I'm feeling, even if it's just strangers on the other side of the internet. Part 2. Sebastian 39M lost my wife, Flora, 39F, a few days ago, her funeral was yesterday and I did not attend. My family has been slamming me with calls ever since. I was going through my wife's things, looking for mementos, and getting on her phone to get pictures.
Starting point is 07:55:51 This was two days before the funeral. When I got into her purse I found something I didn't expect. There was a second cell phone. It was passcode protected, but we had been together for 16 years, I could figure that out. This woman has been cheating on me since our first date. The most painful of it all is it appears her in Lewis, my best friend, have been having an affair for a number of years. I don't even know how long it has been going. I'm sure there is a lot I don't know at this point. She has had this phone for three and a half years.
Starting point is 07:56:22 A lot of it was on telegram, and some of those messages dated back to 2000. I have screenshot, saved, downloaded, just dozens and dozens of messages, picks, videos, files, just everything. I can't believe what I saw. I am so betrayed, that's why I didn't attend the funeral. After I got into the phone I couldn't handle much. I took my kids to my parents' house and just told them I needed some alone time to think and process. They understood and were fine with that.
Starting point is 07:56:52 I stayed up almost all night reading telegram messages. There wasn't just Lewis, she had active conversations with two other men as well, and archived conversations with seven others. The thing is there could be any number of conversations that have been deleted over the years. When I no-showed getting ready for the funeral I started getting calls. I texted only my dad back and said, I am fine, I am not going to hurt myself, so you do not have to worry, but I am not coming today. The funeral came and went.
Starting point is 07:57:20 I just couldn't do it. I could not stand there and say or hear how great of a woman. woman she was. She wasn't, she was a liar and cheater. When I know showed I started getting a lot of phone calls. My dad even stopped by my house. I left the door locked, and played like I wasn't home. He didn't try to come in or anything and eventually left. It was a few hours after that I got a text from Lewis, hey bud, I didn't see you at the funeral. Just checking on you, we can grab a beer and just chill if you need to let off some steam. I finally responded to a text, how about you go fuck yourself, you traitorous
Starting point is 07:57:56 cunt. Don't ever contact me again. He did not message me back and I assume he knows the cat is out of the bag. I just don't know how I'm going to overcome this. You think you know someone, you think they love you, you think you've built a life. Then you find it was all bullshit,
Starting point is 07:58:12 and you can't even take your anger out on them. My name is Sebastian, I am 39 years old. I have been with my wife, Flora, for 16 years. 16 absolutely magical years. We met right after college, both first-year teachers at Eagle High School. I was in the math department and she was in the English department, total clichés I know.
Starting point is 07:58:33 A bunch of us early career teachers used to go out almost every Friday night. Those were good times I wouldn't mind reliving. Both floor, that's what I call her, and I made great friends with some of our co-workers, including a best friend for each of us. Lewis was the best man in our wedding, and Joanna was her maid of honor. We rigged it so that she would get the bouquet and him to guard her at our wedding reception, but they never did date. It was natural between us from the start, there was some serious chemistry. She was so attractive. I was smitten from the word go.
Starting point is 07:59:05 She told me she was two, but I didn't know it. I've always been a bit oblivious. It took the entire first semester for me to finally get it together and ask her out. Her response, you had one more week than I was asking you out in front of everyone, almost two years to the day after that we got married on a beach in Puerto Rico. It was a small wedding, just family, and our best friends. We came back and had an amazing party with all of our teacher friends. Life seemed to move fast from there.
Starting point is 07:59:33 Flore was pregnant just after our one-year anniversary. Then we had another two years later, and another two years after that, and then, for good measure, one more two years after that. We were pretty good at this planning thing. Our kids have turned out great, each so different yet the same. It's weird saying that but it's true. Rachel is our oldest at 13, our only boy Wyatt is 11, Julia turns nine in two days, and Hannah is seven.
Starting point is 07:59:59 They just all seem to excel at everything they do. Rachel and Wyatt are so athletic, Julia is creative, and Hannah is just the funniest sweetest little girl on the planet. Our family vacations, mostly camping trips, won't be the same anymore. Our 16 years together have been just the best time of my life. She was always so involved and extroverted. I became more of a home buddy over time. She coached the cheer team forever. I still went out some with her, but she kept busy with school events, coaching, and the kids' activities.
Starting point is 08:00:32 I swear I married Superwoman. Though despite our differences, we never let that spark die. We had date nights, an active bedroom, and never went to bed or woke up without kisses. My favorite thing was holding her hand. I can't believe this is all over. that we will never be Harbour Party of Six again. That's kind of why I am writing all this. I wanted to have a good moment, recall a few past memories.
Starting point is 08:00:57 Try to remember that I was happy. Two days ago Flora died. Brain aneurysm. Just was on the treadmill at the gym when suddenly she went down. That was it, she was gone, taken from us in a flash. The kids are being stronger than they ever should have to. Kids are so resilient. I'm doing my best to keep it together in front of them.
Starting point is 08:01:19 Our parents are helping, but are grieving too. Everyone loved Flora. Lewis and Joanna have been over a lot checking on us. I just cannot believe this has happened. How do I go on? I know I have to for my children. I just can't picture my life without her. I do not exaggerate when I say this is the worst pain imaginable.
Starting point is 08:01:40 Hopefully it lessens with time. I'm crying myself to sleep each night because I try to keep the breakdowns and sadness to a minimum so as to not trigger my children. They really need me now and I have to be the strong one and support them. I just need to get through the funeral, then we can start rebuilding our life. Anyway, that's it, no need for advice. I just need to pour this out. Get it off my chest, tell someone how I'm feeling, even if it's just strangers on the other side of the internet. Part 2, Sebastian 39M lost my wife, Flora, 39F, a few days ago, her Her funeral was yesterday and I did not attend.
Starting point is 08:02:17 My family has been slamming me with calls ever since. I was going through my wife's things, looking for mementos, and getting on her phone to get pictures. This was two days before the funeral. When I got into her purse I found something I didn't expect. There was a second cell phone. It was Pascoe protected, but we had been together for 16 years, I could figure that out. This woman has been cheating on me since our first date.
Starting point is 08:02:43 The most painful of it all is it appears her in Lewis, my best friend, have been having an affair for a number of years. I don't even know how long it has been going. I'm sure there is a lot I don't know at this point. She has had this phone for three and a half years. A lot of it was on Telegram, and some of those messages dated back to 2016. I have screenshot, saved, downloaded, just dozens and dozens of messages, picks, videos, just everything.
Starting point is 08:03:10 I can't believe what I saw. I am so betrayed, that's why I didn't attend the funeral. After I got into the phone I couldn't handle much. I took my kids to my parents' house, and just told them I needed some alone time to think and process. They understood and were fine with that. I stayed up almost all night reading telegram messages. There wasn't just Lewis, she had active conversations with two other men as well, and archived
Starting point is 08:03:36 conversations with seven others. The thing is there could be any number of conversations that have been deleted over the years. When I no-showed getting ready for the funeral I started getting calls. I texted only my dad back and said, I am fine, I am not going to hurt myself, so you do not have to worry, but I am not coming today. The funeral came and went. I just couldn't do it. I could not stand there and say or hear how great of a woman she was. She wasn't, she was a liar and cheater.
Starting point is 08:04:04 When I know showed I started getting a lot of phone calls. My dad even stopped by my house I left the door locked and played like I wasn't home He didn't try to come in or anything and eventually left It was a few hours after that I got a text from Lewis Hey bud, I didn't see you at the funeral Just checking on you, we can grab a beer and just chill
Starting point is 08:04:25 If you need to let off some steam I finally responded to a text How about you go fuck yourself you traitorous cunt Don't ever contact me again He did not message me back and I assume he knows the cat is out of the bag. I just don't know how I'm going to overcome this. You think you know someone, you think they love you, you think you've built a life. Then you find it was all bullshit, and you can't even take your anger out on them. Part three, I decided to go full nuclear.
Starting point is 08:04:53 Fuck her, fuck her reputation, fuck Lewis, fuck Joanna, fuck everybody. They all treated me like I was a joke. All these years lying to my face, betraying me in every way. At the time of my last posting I had only gone through the telegram messages. That second phone of hers had email accounts dating back to before we were dating. It had texts between her and Joanna. It had Reddit accounts I didn't know about. This bitch has been facilitating her cheating since day one. I still remember the time Flora said she was going to lunch with Joanna only for Joanna to show up at the house to drop something off. Sneaky bitch can think on her feet because she totally sold me on her lies. Faking that she forgot they were meeting and needed to hustle over to the cafe. How could
Starting point is 08:05:37 I be so fucking naive? I've figured out through all this that, Lewis and Flora began having sex days before I asked her out, and never stopped. They have been having an affair for 16 years, right under my nose. He has dated others, gotten married, and divorced in that time. We've hung out countless times. Were each other's best man? She has been with at least a dozen other men during that span, I'm sure more than that. Every fucking teaching conference she ever went to, it looks like she hooked up with someone or brought someone with her. The videos are literally disgusting. She has pics, vids, sexting saved all over this device. She had a video of some fucking asshole, finishing all over her engagement ring while she's wearing it. It's dated three
Starting point is 08:06:23 days after I proposed. The most painful part, there are messages between her and Lewis, that imply he may be the father of Rachel. I took my kids to get DNA tests finally last week. I wasn't going to, but the worry got to me. I have to know. I don't know what I will do if they are just side effects of her infidelity. They aren't happy with me anyway, neither is my family. They don't think I should have gone nuclear. What good does it do now, they said. Fuck that. Everyone should know what kind of woman she really was. I'm not protecting her image, listening to people say how wonderful of a person she was. She wasn't, she was just a conniving whore.
Starting point is 08:07:04 I posted everywhere. I put together hundreds of texts, message, picks, censored, voice recording, everything I could into one big file. Then I posted it on all of socials, and all of Flores. I tagged everyone I could. Lewis and Joanna for sure, even highlighted parts for everyone. A few other co-workers and friends who fucked her as well. Didn't want anyone to feel left out.
Starting point is 08:07:28 Family, friends, I even tagged the school page. That has me on, administrative leave, for the time being. It also appears there's quite an investigation going on now. Firings are on the horizon as it looks like school grounds may have been used at times. I don't give a fuck what happens to that place. I'm leaving. I already made up my mind. I'm not staying in Eagle.
Starting point is 08:07:52 I'm going to go far, far from here. At least I got the bitch's life insurance money. Once I get the DNA results back, I'm out. There is a darkness blacker than anything seen by man. So violent, so cruel, so pernicious. Hiding beyond forsaken halls, in the depths of empty long-forgotten rooms, it rests its awful form. Occasionally, unleashing its deadly plagues upon this world in a torturous storm. One day, this darkness decided to latch itself onto me.
Starting point is 08:08:24 For no apparent reason, I am just an average. Joe. I have a steady job with a decent income, a warm home, and a loving wife. My life is as mundane as it gets. Why this evil decided to target me evades my mind. Perhaps it is a result of my closeness and fondness of that wretched husk of a town. For years I have been traveling to and exploring the decrepit skeleton of what remains of this forgotten hellhole ignored by God and spat upon by his right-hand man, the cruel archangel Sammel. The silence of this ghastly, forgotten remnant of human civilization helped me calm my turbulent mind. A ghost town named Rathsburg. Whenever the vortex of thought had gotten too much to handle,
Starting point is 08:09:08 I would take a short trip to this personal treasure island of mine. A place of complete solitude in the middle of the barren nothingness. My very own Micklegarde. The great city I always wish to end up in to escape the noise, to escape the pain, to escape everything. For the long longest time I could do just that, but then one day, I found out the secret to its silence. The reason this old town had been abandoned or rather emptied of its inhabitants. Something devoured them. A thing not of this world it would seem. A gelatinous shining, calling disgusting mass of lights and plasma that sought to hypnotize its prey
Starting point is 08:09:48 and then devour it. Integrating it into itself in an unholy union of soullessness and never-ending gluttony. I've barely managed to escape the vile thing. Something inside my anxious mind managed to break free from its spell and allow me to run for my life. Countless others weren't seemingly as lucky. I haven't set foot near Rathsburg in a while now, not wanting to be devoured by that abominable star child. Clearly, I assume it's an alien life form. Not going to my Micklegard meant having to deal with the endless array of voices screaming and shouting inside my skull.
Starting point is 08:10:25 Proverbial, of course, I don't hear actual voices. It's just flowery language. As part of a way to deal with what was once a maddeningly restless mind, I took up writing. Poetry and short prose of whatever comes to mind. I never did anything with those. I just wrote them to get the thoughts out of my system. Alina, though, would always manage to find diamonds in my verbal piles of rust and put them into various drawings and pictures, or even shirts she sells. My wife is a truly brilliant
Starting point is 08:10:58 artist. I haven't written in a while, simply because my mind is no longer twisting and turning like two suns locked in a fatal gravitational dance. Now it's focused on a different kind of anxiety. A constant state of fearing for your life after experiencing prolonged torture. I'm still constantly stressed and restless, but for an entirely different reason. I guess I should start from the beginning. About a year ago, I finally broke in at the urging of Alina, who knows me better than anyone else, drove again to Rathsburg. I just needed that fix of the ghastly calm of this dead paradise of mine. Dreading another encounter with the cat devouring monstrosity, I opted to drive around the town first. Looking around the caves of the town,
Starting point is 08:11:45 making sure there was nothing there. This time around, I went during the daytime. That's the first time I noticed something really strange about the town. It's like it was on another plane of existence, separate from the rest of its environment. Birds flew around the town only up to a certain point. I must have been looking for some 40-odd minutes at birds fly up to a certain point in the sky before turning back, almost instinctively. They never flew above the town itself, never. I knew nothing lived in Rathsburg. That much wasn't new to me. It took me a while to notice that that there was almost a sort of barrier around the skeletal remains of what must have been a living center before. I locked my gaze onto the, Welcome to Rathsburg sign before driving around the
Starting point is 08:12:32 ten pathetic houses of the town, and then around the church. I encircled the house of prayer a few times. The memories of my previous visit here replayed themselves in my mind. The cross at the top of the roof seems to have been bent out of shape a little. Maybe someone dared venture into this gateway to hell while I wasn't brave enough. The ghastly silence of the place finally broke through to me. It felt like a chilly breeze softly caressing my entire being, making its way through my skin, down my musculature, and further down into my guts, gently wrapping itself around my heart and lungs, enabling me to breathe freely for the first time in a long time. I became entranced by the beautiful calm and lost track of time. Simply sitting there and breathing deep breaths,
Starting point is 08:13:20 a thick fog of majestic nothingness blanketed my mind. I simply sat there and thought of nothing. Just like that, purely nothing. Until sunset finally came and I found myself sitting in my car under the strangely colored sky of Rathsburg. That's when I headed home. When I got home and saw Alina, it's like I fell in love with her for the first time all over again.
Starting point is 08:13:45 Not that our relationship has had any issues, it's just that clearing the system of all the stress must have done something to me. The silence must have fixed something inside this body of mine. I felt like an entirely new man. That evening was beautiful, one of my best. The night that followed was terrible, however. A reoccurring nightmare tormented me again and again. I found myself walking in a purely white endless hall, accompanied by the sounds of a crying woman. I was following the noise. The longer I walked, the louder the crying got. After a while, I came across a kneeling woman. She must have been not much younger than me. I approached her as her wallowing became nearly unbearable, drowning out everything else to the point of nearly
Starting point is 08:14:33 blinding me with the sound of her crying. Touching her black dress, the crying stopped abruptly, she turned to me, revealing herself to be stained with blood. Her eyes were locked. Her eyes were lifeless and cold like there was no soul behind those orbs of flesh. Two black holes sat in her sockets. They weren't entirely black or missing. They were normal brown eyes, but they seemed so devoid of emotion, of light, of humanity. It felt wrong. It felt even worse when her scowl turned into a smile.
Starting point is 08:15:06 She started laughing like a maniac and then something pushed through her face. Her eyes just poked and their contents coated my face. I felt myself waking up, but the feeling of something sticky on my face definitely felt real. I ran my hand across my face, but it was dry. There was nothing there. Uncharacteristically for myself, I just rolled over and fell back asleep. Once out, I once again found myself in the same dream. Same crying, same white hall, same blinding noise, same woman.
Starting point is 08:15:41 The abrupt end of crying turned to laughter, burst. Wake up, something over my face. Nothing over my face. Fall asleep again, repeat. Each time, the dream lasted a little longer, providing a nauseating detail in terms of what happened to the woman. By the time I had a dream before actually waking up, I could see what was the fate of this woman in all of its disgusting detail.
Starting point is 08:16:08 Yes, I was having a dream within a dream within a dream within a dream within a dream of a dream in a dream. She laughed, something burst through her, that something was a blood-stained tree. Tree branches simply tore through her body slowly, tearing her apart from the inside with a very sickening sound of tearing flesh and cracking bones. She wouldn't die, though. Her laughter persisted as the fear ate away at my body. It wouldn't let me wake until I could see the bloody branches of the tree taking me. over the entire space.
Starting point is 08:16:40 On each branch hung a faceless person impaled. They all screamed and laughed in sync, at a maddening volume. Their blood spilled all over me as they flailed carelessly against the branches that shot themselves through their bodies. It all felt so real, I could feel the warmth of the blood sliding down my skin. Throughout the entire process, I felt myself getting physically sick and fearful, to the point where my heartbeat became even louder than the demonic noises of it. the tree. I felt like my body was about to explode, and then I woke up. For a moment or two,
Starting point is 08:17:15 I could barely see. Everything spun and a terrible feeling bounced against the walls of my skull. I felt like someone was watching me. Alina was still fast asleep, it was early in the morning, and I felt like absolute shit. Thankfully, the nightmare was over and didn't reoccur to me again. Everything was all right for a while until a few days later when I came home. Alina recited a poem to me, one she found on my work desk. Once more reminded of the mind-numbing monotony, a monumental expression of nothingness in the face of cold reality, promises of substance and meaning wrapped inside a luminescent, cacophony containing the unadulterated void, a contempt for the progression of the ravenous
Starting point is 08:17:58 entropy, slowly creeping inside, the realization of absolute banality, false promise of meaning that do not exist are masquerade, as the perfection of sincerely brutal minimality, hang a self to the self, an honest form of sacrifice, hang a self for the sake of self, an elated offering, hang the self of myself, on the branches of the tree, of forbidden knowledge, to be reshaped, into obscurity and newly arise, I'm longing for the feeling when emotions die, when the torment of being can only be molded into an agonized scream, following the loss of everything I once held dearest, accepting that existence is merely a hollow dream, defiance in order to hold on to the self-perpetuating lie, of luminescence
Starting point is 08:18:40 existing inside the dying cosmos, amounts to nothing when faced with the senseless, apathy of the absurd, my skin almost began crawling as she recited that. As she finished, she kissed me and told me it was brilliant. I looked at her like I had seen a ghost. I hadn't written that, is all I could muster. Strange. It's definitely your handwriting, see, she said while showing me the note. It was indeed my handwriting. The whole situation got a lot stranger. Thought started swirling all over again. I. I don't know, maybe I did and forgot about it. No idea, hon, I said, trying to make sense of the mysterious piece of paper that randomly appeared on my desk. I genuinely had no recollection of writing that one, nor does my wife write poetry. Not that I know of. Oh well,
Starting point is 08:19:36 it's still lovely. Your memory issue is a bit concerning, but your head is all over the place, anyway. She almost sang to me. Ah yeah, I'm fine, I said, I lied. At the time I didn't know I was lying, but that's how the madness stars usually. Something goes wrong, a tiny bit of the routine puzzle gets misplaced and the constant worrying about nothing returns. It's a vicious cycle and nothing seems to make it go away. Nothing but the death-like silence of that one place, my mecca. That's how it began that time, with the strange poem that had written itself. My wife found it, read it to me, and I was genuinely curious at first where did it come from. Curiosity soon became compulsive thought, gaining more and more traction inside my mind until it
Starting point is 08:20:27 became a big fish in a small pond, a mental megalodon eating away at my psychic mazes. It's not like I had any answers to the question at hand. I had no fucking clue where the poem had come from. Now I do. I wrote it, probably in my sleep at the behest of her. Anyhow, the worrying left me exhausted, restless, and vulnerable to more nocturnal terrors. The days following my wife reciting me the poem, I couldn't sleep. My inability to make my brain shut up and my experience of very vivid, very lifelike snuff on repeat in my dreams were tearing me apart. My brain placed itself between a rock and a hard place. One night, I had a dream. I was inside a tiny black room with a single yellow lamp hanging from the ceiling. Before me, I saw four people
Starting point is 08:21:20 tied up to crosses. In front of them stood a hooded figure with some sort of knife in hand. I knew what was coming, but the sense of danger was all too real. Yet again, I could feel my body tense up, and my breathing grew shallow and quick. I knew I was safe, but it's like the dreams forced themselves upon me. Forcing me to watch an execution in public, unable to avert my gaze under the threat of a similar fate. The hooded figure made a crude cut in the abdomen of one figure who thrashed and struggled against their binds, screaming like a wild animal about to be slaughtered. The screams bounced right off my
Starting point is 08:21:58 eardrums. I tried looking away, but my gaze reshifted itself onto the horrendous act before me. The hooded figure then kneeled and bit at the wound of its poor victim. The bite forced the bound person to shriek and bellow in tones I didn't know was possible for a human. It then proceeded to suck out a reddish tub-like organ straight out of the poor soul's body. The action caused a disgusting slurping sound that forced my stomach to twist and turn in knots. The four people were screaming like madman at this point. The noise, it felt so unbearably real and close I just wanted this nightmare to end. It only got worse from there on.
Starting point is 08:22:39 The hooded figure stood up, the tub-like organ, these intestines still stick in its mouth, and repeated the exact same actions on the other three. Making violent and crude cuts in their abdomens before sucking out a portion of their intestines while keeping a hold of the digestive systems of its previous victims between its jaws. That god-awful wet slurping sound drilled itself into my brain. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run, and I wanted this hell to burn out and fade away from my sight.
Starting point is 08:23:09 The hooded figure turned to me and my heart sank, my stomach rolled around itself like a roller coaster and I felt knives pierce my skin. It was that same woman from my tree dream. Same face, four different intestines sticking out of her mouth like a bloody spider web. That's when I woke up and threw up right by my bed. I cleaned that quickly before my wife could wake up. God, that awful dream. It felt so real.
Starting point is 08:23:37 The fact that this was the same fucking woman. This, of course, sent me spiraling down further. The stress persisted, the restlessness grew fiercer, and the nightmares kept reoccurring. I don't want to go into detail about the things that have plagued my mind. It's too much to even reminisce about. At one point, I stopped trying to sleep. I just let my exhaustion do its thing. If I passed out, then I passed out.
Starting point is 08:24:07 Obviously, Alina wasn't too happy about my condition or my lack of will to even talk about it. Eventually, she broke me out of my silence, and I told her about the crazy nightmares. I told her about the bitch reappearing in my dreams and tormenting me to the best of her ability. Alina surmised it must have been a coincidental first dream where my mind made up some figure and later my anxiety made her a reoccurring theme. I didn't have any better explanation for the mental haunting I was going through, thus I went with it. We both knew there was no actual way out for me from this stress-ridden purgatory. It was only a matter of time until I'd fixated on something else, or just straight up becoming
Starting point is 08:24:47 desensitized to the succubus in my dreams and just forget about her altogether. That said, the madness only grew worse and drove deeper into the pit. I ended up sick and taking time off from work because of how sleep-deprived, borderline manic I had become. My body was too weak to do anything significant and even so, I was too jittery to stay asleep. I started seeing things like shadows crawling around the house whenever there were none. A static noise was hammering itself into my ears, and I nearly snapped at home. Found myself one second before throwing a vase into the TV. I stopped myself then and stormed out to my car.
Starting point is 08:25:28 I knew where I had to go. Then I drove like a maniac to the only place where I could find some semblance of solace. Rathsburg. I was a raging ball of pure agony and anger when I drove there, but the second I arrived in this place, it all went away. The moment I felt that cold eerie silence, it's like it washed all the pain, all the anguish, all the noise away. I was on cloud nine again. Everything seemed to turn so mellow and pleasant. The deafening absence of sound felt so welcome and warm. My entire body started feeling heavy. My head became light and my vision turned blurry. I remember little from that
Starting point is 08:26:10 point on. Everything kind of faded into the darkness. I passed out. The soothing silence of Rathsburg had pulled a fast one on me again. This time, it didn't end up with me waking up on the roof of the church. I woke up where I collapsed, sore but well rested. My awakening was rude and strange once again. This hell of a town refuses to let me have my peace. I woke up to the sound of frantic knocking and scratching underneath me. It started small and insignificant, like a sound within a dream. At first, I ignored it, but it kept growing louder and more persistent, and then I realized I was actually slowly waking up.
Starting point is 08:26:55 That day, there were no dreams. I was completely out, so this was clearly noticeable. When I finally woke up, I noticed how the sky was colored that same odd tint of bluish-purple. The nightly shade made it seem as if the town was older and more dilapidated than it had actually been. The cross on the top of the church seems to have been bent even more. I was about to get up to my feet when the clawing sound coming from beneath me worked its way into my ears. I thought it must have been my imagination and got up slowly, but the noise emanated from
Starting point is 08:27:27 the ground again. Almost instinctually, I got curious again, pressing my ear against the ground. For a couple of seconds, there was nothing, merely. silence, death-like silence. Then clawing sound, it got stronger, replaced by the sound of something pounding from beneath. Violent vibration on the ground. Then the clawing resumed. I shivered when I heard a quiet scream echoing underneath me. Looking up and around, I was alone, very alone. Then I pressed my ear against the ground again and I heard that same screaming again. It became frantic, desperate. My hands started moving on their own, digging, clawing at the
Starting point is 08:28:11 ground. My throat was screaming without a command for my brain. I was urging something, or someone, to hang on as my hands tossed and turned the dirt beneath me. I dug until my hands turned bloody, but I had finally hit something solid. Something that wasn't a rock. I dug some more until I could see it. A hand awkwardly twisted into a strange angle. The digits were twisted and broken in odd directions, similar to how my mind started spinning. I was trying to come up with an explanation from my morbid discovery, but none came up. The screened had become louder, almost deafening in contrast to the icy silence of the ghastly town. Something inside of me snapped, and I started digging around the semi-mummified arm like a madman. The longer I did,
Starting point is 08:29:00 dug, the louder the screaming became. Long minutes after my discovery, I saw a leg bent at an odd angle. Soon enough, I could make out words among the wild screams. Whomever this had been, they were still alive. Somehow. I thought at that time that it might have been a recently buried person, as in the hours preceding my arrival in Rathsburg. After what felt like an hour of endless digging, I could finally see a face. To my horror, it too was in the wrong placement. Disgustingly wrong. I could make out the skin of the neck folding backward. Something completely twisted the spinal column out of place. I looked at the molested soil below me, attempting my best to ignore the grotesque positioning of the head and the manic
Starting point is 08:29:48 screaming coming out of the mouth of this semi-mummified man. I started attempting to reassure him that everything will be fine. I doubt he listened. Since he never stopped screaming like a wounded animal. If I'm being entirely honest, I didn't believe everything would be fine for him. I doubted he was going to survive much longer after I had found him. His neck was broken and rotated backward. His back was staring at me. The longer I stared, the more it became apparent something broke his body and decimated it in a very deliberate and brutal fashion. Once I dug enough of this man out, I could no longer hide my disgust. My stomach twisted a around itself and the stench of death laced with the smell of moist soil drove me past the point
Starting point is 08:30:35 of no return. I turned away and vomited. My mind was racing, my heart was beating like a demon drum in the halls of Leviathan, and my digestive system was attempting to escape through my mouth. The dying undead bastard wouldn't stop shrieking, and my patience ran out. I grabbed him by the head and yelled at him back. Something must have awoken in him as he shook his awkwardly folded body, tempting to escape my grasp. I screamed at him to shut the fuck up, and he went dead silent. For a moment, I was at peace again. His body became still, his chest collided with the ground, and his eyes focused on mine. For a single moment, I thought I could calm him down. The next thing I know, he nearly pressed his back to my body and a sharp pain was emanating
Starting point is 08:31:24 from my jaw. Teeth clasped themselves around my lower lip. The taste of pus definitely helped snap me out of my disbelief. I punched the revenant, and he collapsed to the ground. Spitting and cursing under my breath, I could hear him hollering his madness once more. This time the sounds were fading as everything around me started spinning and my eyes became heavy. The darkness quickly enveloped me. When I came to, I wasn't in my body. My clothes were odd, and my hands didn't seem like mine. They were too old and too rough to be mine. I found myself standing, peeking through some sort of old wooden door. Beyond the door, there was a hall in which sat a ground of people enjoying a feast.
Starting point is 08:32:11 For men and a woman. My heart sank when I realized who this woman was. She was the woman that haunted my dreams. My body shook as I assumed that I must have been dreaming again. Viewing the world through the eyes of somebody else. I tried pinching myself, but that yielded no one. results whatsoever. As much as I hate to admit it, I already knew how this one was going to end. The astral succubus wanted to make me suffer another bout of mental torture. My thoughts didn't
Starting point is 08:32:43 really matter at those moments though, because the body I was stuck and was focused on listening to the conversation inside the dining hall. His ear pressed carefully against the door as to not move it or make a noise. It's so nice to have dinner together again, don't you think so, kid, one man spoke, his voice gruff and heavy. Indeed, it is, old man, the woman responded. Judging from what I could gauge, none of the men were particularly old. Maybe she was younger than she appeared, even though she seemed like a fully grown adult. The other three men began laughing. Say, Elizabeth, why do you keep referring to Otho as an old man? The gruff-sounding man was probably named Otho. Because he's an old man, his beard is graying, obviously.
Starting point is 08:33:30 Obviously, the woman remarked. He's also a giant, but we don't call him a giant, another one quipped. Well, he is a giant, but he's an old giant, love, the woman retorted. Hey Fritz, Wad Chaw made this meat out of, it's pretty good, the fourth voice questioned another one. The man who referred to the woman as Elizabeth then responded, from the pale man, oh. Ha! Who knew that thing would taste this good?
Starting point is 08:33:58 did cha kill it this time no elizabeth wants this freak alive for some reason some odd fascination she has with this child breaker that's why i keep chopping up parts of it without killing it this creature seems to regrow whatever i take from it as long as the head stays in place anyway our little girl is finally becoming a woman took interest in a thing that looks at her like a dog in heat just a shame it isn't even human fahaha otho jokingly remarked before causing the whole room to laugh hey it would be a shame to kill such a destructive animal it's pretty intelligent too oh yeah it turns the kids it hunts into toys one man started laughing this animal is even worse than us we just kill them to turn them into toys and kids on top of everything this entire conversation was making me sick to my bones. The body I was in was of a similar opinion as I felt myself shivering and my balance
Starting point is 08:35:00 was fading. Oh, don't act like you're above harming anything, Heinrich. We've all seen what you did back home. Well, yeah, but I didn't turn any children or adults into objects. I just dismember them and maybe feed on their insights. I was having trouble breathing. This entire conversation, topped with a cannibalistic dinner setting, was becoming too much for me. I just wanted this nightmare to end. Anyway, does anyone have any idea what that thing is, Elizabeth? I can't say for sure, but it was human at one point, and it's much older than we are. I didn't really get the chance to see what's inside its mind as it is filled with all sorts of violent and sexual memories or thoughts.
Starting point is 08:35:44 I don't even know. It's definitely not in its right mind anymore. Whatever it may be, the woman spoke. man-beast sex slave that won't die easily, here to fulfill every fantasy you might have. Otho blurted out, causing the whole room to explode into a burst of violent laughter. The man in whose body I was stuck and couldn't handle the situation anymore, and so he left the scene. His eyes closed and then I found myself in another scenery. It was daytime, people were leaving the church.
Starting point is 08:36:18 The scenery seemed somewhat familiar, almost like Rathsburg but still did. different. We stood in the shade of one building facing the church. The woman was walking out of the church and the man called out to her. His body started shaking violently as she approached him. I could feel his heartbeat rising and his hair standing across his body. He pulled something out from underneath his cloak and his grip on the cold object seemed very unsteady and weak. The woman was right in front of us when he wrapped his arms around her, stabbing her with an old knife. My mind was going hysteric from the scenery that unfolded in front of me.
Starting point is 08:36:56 The man was losing his mind and kept repeatedly stabbing her in the abdomen. Each attempt seemed more and more frantic. He definitely hit a body. I felt the resistance of flesh. There was an impact, I heard it. It was all real. She never registered a thing. Merely letting out a long, almost vocalized breath.
Starting point is 08:37:19 before smiling that God-awful smile she had haunted me with before. I was losing it. This had to end. I wanted out, knowing what was about to come. Fearful of the horrors she was about to unleash. I was screaming inside the man's head, bashing in his mental walls with my fists. My tantrum yielded no results, as they forced me to watch the terror unfolding before my eyes. One of her companions emerged from within the wall, taking the front of her.
Starting point is 08:37:49 form of a living shadow about to strike down her assailant. A mere gesture of her hand stopped her companion. The shadowy figure bore his fangs as she wrapped her arms around our shared shoulders, telling my host she'll forgive him because she's fond of holy men. Just this once. Then she walked off like nothing had happened and we collapsed to the floor, trembling in absolute terror. The man closed his eyes, and when he opened them once more. We were at a marketplace. The woman stood across from us and a large crowd of onlookers was standing all around us. A butcher stood right behind the woman who seemed mostly amused. The man whose body I invaded was screaming at the top of his lungs.
Starting point is 08:38:33 He was accusing the woman of being a witch, a whore of the devil, and other medieval curses. Something in the air was changing, though. There was electricity building up. I could feel it. Something awful was about to commence, and they were, Indeed it did. I stabbed her, was all the man managed to let out of his mouth before the butcher's blade went straight through her and into his side. The feeling of metal cutting through me felt so real. The realization of the man losing his footing accompanied it. We fell even
Starting point is 08:39:06 further onto the knife. I was screaming in pure agony inside of his head. It felt all too fucking real for a dream. The crowd suddenly became dead silent. I could see the Joe, ovial emotions in their eyes fading away, being replaced by murderous rage slowly, but evidently. The air became sultry with electricity. Everyone was dead silent, until one child broke the silence, slowly chanting. Neath the shadow of Mount Sinai, I watch as the killers swarm, at the feet of Milton's tomb, they bow before a ghastly form, of a serpent born from a barren womb, while the heavens grievously cry, unholy ghost, born of a lie, condemned to death,
Starting point is 08:39:49 reborn in fire. O black seraph, unlike my path, thou art eternal, undying, intoxicated, I stand by your stench of death. Soon enough, more and more children started chanting all over us. I could hear their voices growing louder, more menacing. They were dull and monotone, yet full of conviction, like a sermon. The air became stifling with each breath becoming more and more toxic to inhale. The woman's laughter rang in my ears as she grabbed the man before kissing him. I could feel her lips against mine. They were real, too real. They were real lips, but they were cold, beyond cold. Like touching a dead body. The feeling of the lips of a woman who wasn't my wife felt wrong. I wanted to get away, but I couldn't. My body was hurting
Starting point is 08:40:40 all over already. That was just the beginning, though. The woman grabbed the man's head, and with a quick motion, she snapped his neck. A terrible pain exploded through my neck. Assured of my impending death. I was screaming and thrashing and pleading and begging for the torment to end. I wanted to wake up. The road to hell was long for me. As we fell to the ground and everything seemed to go to shit, more pain came.
Starting point is 08:41:10 So much pain, unimaginable amounts of pain. I just laid there and took every last raindrop, from the storm of agony and torture they forced me to endure. The townsfolk descended upon us like a pack of hungry wolves tearing into us like a fresh kill. Merciless and unrelenting. If hell is real, then this is it. Every uncharted part of my body was beaten, bruised, broken, molested, and punished. No piece of skin was left untouched, no bone was left unbroken.
Starting point is 08:41:43 Not a single cell was left unharmed. They left no bodily crevice unassaulted. Everything was stabbed, poked, prodded, cut, and dug into in an orgy of violence and gore. The whole time, these demonic children kept chanting, almost mockingly. Been bored in silence, my dear old succubus, defile the universe as you rape the sun, beyond countless eons, come forth from the abyss, to bring the fall of all gods and man. Archangels blow your trumpets to hail her return. Santa seed falls torn apart between black holes.
Starting point is 08:42:18 Lord of the hosts mourns while the heaven ceaselessly burn. Thus, ends the calm before the unending storm, ahead of endless torment, forcing creation to deform. Here the cosmos screamed the name of the ghost, signaling all hope is yet again lost. I couldn't do anything other than praying and pray I did. I prayed for the first time in years, and God seems to have not heard me because he never answered. He never delivered me either.
Starting point is 08:42:44 Instead, at some point, the pain stopped feeling so bad. In fact, I started feeling really pleasant, a warm, wet pleasant feeling building up on the inside. And the voice, a sweet, sweet voice, was singing to me. Reassuring me that my downward ascend into the ninth circle is almost complete. Finally, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Before I knew it, I became enamored with the agony. Just as I felt at home in all the Hellspawn torment, I was drowning in, it disappeared. It was all gone.
Starting point is 08:43:20 Completely gone, erased. I woke up again in Rathsburg. The Revenant was still there, screaming and hollering like a tortured dog. His ungodly screaming was drilling into my brain. The visions burned in my eyes, the execution of the heretic I had found, cursed into immortality spent as a broken pile of human mess for transport. expressing against her. Execution by decimation and premortal embalment. I felt like I knew who she was, what she was, but I couldn't get it out of my mouth.
Starting point is 08:43:53 For some reason, I couldn't get the right words out. As I was struggling to form my thoughts, a hand grasped my shoulder. Looking behind me, I saw her unmatched beauty shining, and hell followed right behind her. She cast a shadow so vast it turned the universe beautifully dark. At that moment, I could finally find the right words to describe her. Goddess. She smiled a gentle smile as she heard me utter that word. Looking lovingly deep into my eyes, she asked if the heretic had hurt me.
Starting point is 08:44:26 His awful screaming was driving me insane, and I couldn't even speak right, so I simply nodded. She hugged me tightly. I could feel her love filling me up. I felt as if I was about to ascend straight into heaven. Her death-like skin felt so warm and welcoming. Unlike anything, I've ever felt before. This was the most alive I had ever felt. She relinquished her hold on me, reassuring me everything will be just fine.
Starting point is 08:44:56 Urging me to look at the heretic, she pulled me towards her, resting my head on her lap. I watched as a dark vortex appeared on the ground behind the screaming revenant. Two hands blacker than the darkest of nights appeared out of the vortex and pulled one. of his legs into it. The vortex closed right as gravity pulled his leg through it. A disgusting sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing echoed tore through the silence of Rathsburg. The heretic cried like a sheep in the slaughterhouse attempting to escape the jaws of death. I kept on looking at the specifically prolonged dismantlement of the semi-living screaming carcass. My goddess caressed my head as we both watched vortex after vortex, appearing to chop away a part
Starting point is 08:45:39 of the perpetually suffering hermit. He attempted to crawl away using his head and torso, to no avail. A vortex opened right under him, before closing right as skin passed through it into the realm below. The explosion of gore and guts tainting the soil of this ghost town was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. An eruption of crimson liquid took the shape of a giant rose beneath the infidel and his guts flew about like detached petals. After what seemed an eternity in heaven, his body was reduced to nothing but a mere head. A head that my ghastly goddess has offered to me as a sign of our union that took place in the dead center of the town of the ghost. I have since introduced my wife to my goddess and while she was reluctant to accept her
Starting point is 08:46:22 at first. It took a while, but she has finally come around. Her pleasureed screams of hellbound agony stemming from her initiation into our mystery are now serenading me from our bedroom as I write another him to our ghastly mistress. Whose eerie form watches me compose melodies in her honor, approvingly from the darkest corner of my house. Let me walk into their cities, where saints' blood, has covered every last trace, of remnants of living creation, where the still living corpses, drift in crimson mud, of death they dream, their mouths are open, but the pain won't let them scream, take me back to that
Starting point is 08:46:59 beautiful place, Ian's past and yet you remain the same, cast your pernicious shadow over the Son, crucify the masses and feed them to the flame. My dear enemy, don't you spare no one, hell will follow, where you stand, burn the universe with your ghastly halo, driving creation mad, unhallowed ghost, let me walk into their cities, where saints' blood, has covered every last trace, of remnants of living creation, as God mourns, with agony stigmatized across his face, that which he has lost, blackened spirit, that which rose from a life's cremation, desolate, disembowel. and decapitate, the serpent will mourn, that which you've killed, and he loved the most. I, the haunting arrival, in the heart of a forgotten countryside, where fog clings to ancient
Starting point is 08:47:45 oaks and the moon casts eerie glimmers on crumbling stone, lies Blackwood Manor, a place shrouded in mystery and whispered tragedies. For centuries, villagers spoke in hushed tones of the manor's cursed legacy, woven from loss, secrets, and the haunting echoes of the past. On a bitter autumn evening, young historian Eleanor Ashford arrived at Blackwood Manor, determined to unravel its enigmas. Known for her relentless curiosity and a keen eye for detail, Eleanor had spent years studying local folklore and obscure manuscripts. Her latest quest led her to this isolated estate, rumored to be the epicenter of a series of unexplained disappearances and whispered curses. Two, entering the manor, the manor loomed before her like a relic of a bygone era. Its imposing silhouette, crowned with broken gargoyles and ivy-clad walls, exuded a sense of
Starting point is 08:48:32 melancholy in foreboding. As Eleanor pushed open the heavy oak door, a chill wind greeted her, as if the very soul of the mansion recognized her presence. Inside, the grand foyer was a labyrinth of shadow and light. Dust moats danced in the beams of her lantern, and portraits of long-departed ancestors lined the walls with eyes that seemed to follow her every step. In the heart of the manner, she discovered a forgotten library filled with brittle tomes and manuscripts.
Starting point is 08:48:58 Three, the enigmatic journal. Among the dusty relics, one leather-bound journal caught her attention, a journal belonging to a mysterious figure known only as Lord Alistair Blackwood. Eleanor began deciphering the cryptic entries, each page peeling back layers of tragedy. Lord Blackwood had once been a man of passion and ambition, but a series of heart-wrenching events had driven him to the brink of madness. The journal recounted his desperate attempts to resurrect a lost love, a woman whose life had been snuffed out by a cruel twist of fate. In his grief, he had dabbled in forbidden rituals, seeking solace in the promise of reunion, even if it meant summoning forces beyond mortal
Starting point is 08:49:34 control. Four, whispers of a tragic past, as Eleanor delved deeper into the narrative, a pattern emerged. The journal hinted at a fateful night when an ethereal presence was unleashed within the manor's walls. Residents of the estate, caught in the grip of despair and isolation, began to vanish without a trace. Ghostly apparitions and spectral figures, soon became the talk of the nearby village, amplifying the manor's reputation as a nexus of supernatural sorrow. One entry detailed a particularly harrowing event. During a tempestuous storm,
Starting point is 08:50:05 Lord Blackwood had hosted a grand masquerade ball in a desperate bid to ward off the encroaching darkness. Guests arrived in elegant costumes and mysterious masks, their laughter masking underlying tension. Yet, as midnight approached, an unearthly wales silenced the revelers. In that moment of collective terror, the lights flickered,
Starting point is 08:50:24 fence fog crept into the grand hall. When the storm subsided, several guests had vanished, leaving behind only echoes of despair and a lingering sense of doom. V. the emergence of the supernatural, compelled by the raw emotions embedded in the journal, Eleanor began to sense a presence watching her from the shadows. At first it was a fleeting glimpse, a figure in a tattered gown drifting past a doorway, or a soft murmur carried on the wind. But as the night deepened, these occurrences grew more frequent and intense.
Starting point is 08:50:53 In the silent corridors of the manor, she could almost hear the anguished cries of lost souls. Determined to uncover the truth, Eleanor followed a series of subtle clues left by Lord Blackwood. She discovered hidden passages and secret rooms, each revealing fragments of the manor's tragic history. Six, secrets in the hidden chamber. In one concealed chamber, Eleanor found a collection of faded letters and photographs chronicling the forbidden love between Lord Blackwood and his muse, Isabella. Their correspondence overflowed with promises of eternal devotion, yet fate had other plans.
Starting point is 08:51:25 Isabella's sudden and mysterious death had plunged Lord Blackwood into an abyss of guilt and sorrow, fueling his desperate experiments to cheat death itself. The relics of their love told a story of passion, loss, and the relentless pursuit of a reunion beyond mortal bounds. 7. The Mirror of Tormented Souls. In the quiet hours before dawn, Eleanor encountered the manor's most chilling secret. Behind a concealed door, she found a room dedicated to dark rituals. Its walls were adorned with archaic symbols, and at its center stood an ornate mirror,
Starting point is 08:51:56 its surface marred by time yet strangely captivating. As she approached, the mirror rippled with a life of its own, reflecting not her image but a montage of tortured visages and spectral memories. In that moment, Eleanor felt an overwhelming surge of despair, a convergence of every lost soul, every shattered promise, and every whispered secret that had haunted Blackwood Manor for generations. Eight, a journey into the depths of history, realizing that the tragic was not merely the result of a doomed romance or a singular act of madness, Eleanor understood
Starting point is 08:52:26 it was the cumulative agony of lives intertwined by fate and misfortune. The spirits of those who once roamed the manor were bound to it, unable to find peace until their stories were told. Determined to give voice to the forgotten, Eleanor vowed to document every detail of her journey. As the first rays of dawn filtered through the dusty windows, she sat at an ancient desk in the library and began to write, creating an account that would stand as a testament to love, loss, unyielding search for redemption. Nine, the dawn of Revelation, even as she penned her final thoughts, the manner whispered
Starting point is 08:52:57 its last secret, a promise that its legacy would endure long after her departure. The echo of a long-lost lullaby, carried on the morning breeze, hinted at a future shrouded in both hope and sorrow. In that ethereal melody, Eleanor sensed the eternal cycle of tragedy and renewal, a reminder that every ending is but a prelude to a new beginning. Her encounter with Blackwood Manor had granted her a profound insight, true horror lay not in spectral apparitions or cursed relics, but in the haunting realization that history is written by those brave enough to confront its darkest corners.
Starting point is 08:53:29 X. Epilogue, The Enduring Legacy, Blackwood Manor had given Eleanor a gift, a glimpse into the depths of human vulnerability and resilience. Her account was destined to immortalize the whispered secrets and forgotten tragedies of the manor, ensuring that the lost souls might finally find solace in the light of remembrance. I, the haunting arrival, in the heart of a forgotten countryside, where fog clings to ancient oaks and the moon casts eerie glimmers on crumbling stone, lies Blackwood Manor, a place shrouded in mystery and whispered tragedies. For centuries, villagers spoke in hushed tones of the manor's cursed legacy, woven from loss, secrets, and the haunting echoes of the past. On a bitter autumn evening,
Starting point is 08:54:07 young historian Eleanor Ashford arrived at Blackwood Manor, determined to unravel its enigmas. Known for her relentless curiosity and a keen eye for detail, Eleanor had spent years studying local folklore and obscure manuscripts. Her latest quest led her to this isolated estate, rumored to be the epicenter of a series of unexplained disappearances and whispered curses. Two, entering the manor, the manor loomed before her like a relic of a bygone era. Its imposing silhouette, crowned with broken gargoyles and ivy-clad walls, exuded a sense of melancholy in foreboding. As Eleanor pushed open the heavy oak door, a chill wind greeted her, as if the very soul of the mansion recognized her presence. Inside, the grand foyer was a labyrinth of shadow and light.
Starting point is 08:54:51 Dust motes danced in the beams of her lantern, and portraits of long-departed ancestors lined the walls with eyes that seemed to follow her every step. In the heart of the manner, she discovered a forgotten library filled with brittle tomes and manuscripts. Three, the enigmatic journal. Among the dusty relics, one leather-bound journal caught her attention, a journal belonging to a mysterious figure known only as Lord Alistair Blackwood. Eleanor began deciphering the cryptic entries, each page peeling back layers of tragedy. Lord Blackwood had once been a man of passion and ambition, but a series of heart-wrenching events had driven him to the brink of madness.
Starting point is 08:55:26 The journal recounted his desperate attempts to resurrect a lost love, a woman whose life had been snuffed out by a cruel twist of fate. In his grief, he had dabbled in forbidden rituals, seeking solace in the promise of reunion, even if it meant summoning forces beyond mortal control. Four, whispers of a tragic past, as Eleanor delved deeper into the narrative, a pattern emerged. The journal hinted at a fateful night when an ethereal presence was unleashed within the manor's walls. Residents of the estate, caught in the grip of despair and isolation, began to vanish without a trace. Ghostly apparitions and spectral figures soon became the talk of the nearby village,
Starting point is 08:56:02 amplifying the manor's reputation as a nexus of supernatural sorrow. One entry detailed a particularly harrowing event. During a tempestuous storm, Lord Blackwood had hosted a grand masquerade ball in a desperate bid to ward off the encroaching darkness. Guests arrived in elegant costumes and mysterious masks, their laughter masking underlying tension. Yet, as midnight approached, an unearthly wales silenced the revelers. In that moment of collective terror, the lights flickered, and a dense fog crept into the grand hall. When the storm subsided, several guests had vanished, leaving behind only echoes of despair and a lingering sense of doom. V, the emergence of the supernatural, compelled by the raw emotions embedded in the journal,
Starting point is 08:56:44 Eleanor began to sense a presence watching her from the shadows. At first it was a fleeting glimpse, a figure in a tattered gown drifting past a doorway, or a soft murmur carried on the wind. But as the night deepened, these occurrences grew more frequent and intense. In the silent corridors of the manner, she could almost hear the anguished cries of lost souls. Determined to uncover the truth, Eleanor followed a series of subtle clues left by Lord Blackwood. She discovered hidden passages and secret rooms, each revealing fragments of the manor's tragic history.
Starting point is 08:57:16 Six, secrets in the hidden chamber. In one concealed chamber, Eleanor found a collection of faded letters and photographs chronicling the forbidden love between Lord Blackwood and his muse, Isabella. Their correspondence overflowed with promises of eternal devotion, yet fate had other plans. Isabella's sudden and mysterious death had plunged Lord Blackwood into an abyss of guilt and sorrow, fueling his desperate experiments to cheat death itself. The relics of their love told a story of passion, loss, and the relentless pursuit of a reunion beyond mortal bounds. Seven, the mirror of tormented souls.
Starting point is 08:57:49 In the quiet hours before dawn, Eleanor encountered the manor's most chilling secret. Behind a concealed door, she found a room dedicated to dark rituals. Its walls were adorned with archaic symbols, and at its center stood an ornate mirror, its surface marred by time yet strangely captivating. As she approached, the mirror rippled with a life of its own, reflecting not her image but a montage of tortured visages and spectral memories. In that moment, Eleanor felt an overwhelming surge of despair, a convergence of every lost soul, every shattered promise, and every whispered secret that had haunted Blackwood
Starting point is 08:58:22 Manor for generations. Eight, a journey into the depths of history, realizing that the tragic was not merely the result of a doomed romance or a singular act of madness, Eleanor understood it was the cumulative agony of lives intertwined by fate and misfortune. The spirits of those who once roamed the manor were bound to it, unable to find peace until their stories were told. Determined to give voice to the forgotten, Eleanor vowed to document every detail of her journey. As the first rays of dawn filtered through the dusty windows, she sat at an ancient desk
Starting point is 08:58:52 in the library and began to write, creating an account that would stand as a testament to love, loss, unyielding search for redemption. Nine, the dawn of Revelation, even as she penned her final thoughts, the Manor whispered its last secret, a promise that its legacy would endure long after her departure. The echo of a long-lost lullaby, carried on the morning breeze, hinted at a future shrouded in both hope and sorrow. In that ethereal melody, Eleanor sensed the eternal cycle of tragedy and renewal, a reminder that every ending is but a prelude to a new beginning.
Starting point is 08:59:23 Her encounter with Blackwood Manor had granted her a profound insight, true horror lay not in spectral apparitions or cursed relics, but in the haunting realization that history is written by those brave enough to confront its darkest corners. X. Epilogue, The Enduring Legacy, Blackwood Manor had given Eleanor a gift, a glimpse into the depths of human vulnerability and resilience. Her account was destined to immortalize the whispered secrets and forgotten tragedies of the Manor, ensuring that the lost souls might finally find solace in the light of remembrance. of the night, Jenna and Mark's love story began like a fairy tale. Endless days spent in laughter,
Starting point is 09:00:00 deep conversations under the stars, and passionate embraces that made time stand still. They moved in together, their little apartment filled with the promise of a future. But one fateful night, everything they had built began to crumble. It was a chilly October evening, the air thick with the scent of impending rain. The couple was in the midst of a heated argument, Jenna was tired of Mark's persistent late nights at the bar, while Mark felt suffocated by Jenna's need for constant attention. Voices soared, hurtful words were exchanged, and in a fit of anger, Mark stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Starting point is 09:00:38 Left alone in the silence of the room, Jenna sat on the couch, tears streaming down her face. The shadows danced across the walls, mocking her loneliness. Just as she began to gather herself, a soft knock echoed through the appointment. apartment. Go away, she shouted, her heart racing with fear and pain. But the voice that followed sent a chill down her spine, it was Mark's voice, pleading. Baby, let me in. I'm sorry. Can we work this out? Her heart ached at the sound, craving reconciliation. Leave me alone, she cried. Please, just let me in, the voice persisted, filled with desperation. Against her better
Starting point is 09:01:23 her judgment, fueled by emotion, she rose and opened the door. What greeted her was not her beloved but a tall figure clad in dark clothing, a chilling mask obscuring his face, a glint of steel catching the dim light. Her breath hitched, but before she could scream, he lunged forward, plunging a knife into her abdomen. Each stab was swift, ruthless, and precise. The world around her faded into darkness as pain coursed through her body like fire. Jenna collapsed to the floor, the life draining from her eyes. The masked man pulled away, leaving her gasping for breath, blood pooling around her. He crouched down beside her, his gloved hands tracing the outline of her stomach before placing a note on her body,
Starting point is 09:02:10 scrawling with a sinister ease, you should have never left her alone. A few hours later, Mark returned home, hoping to apologize and mend the rift between them. As he opened the door, a wave of unease washed over him. Then he saw it, Jenna's lifeless body, butchered into pieces on the floor. A scream tore from his throat, echoed by the darkness surrounding him. He ran out, heart pounding, desperation fueling his need for help. As he dialed 9-1-1, he glanced toward the woods and caught a glimpse of movement, a figure stood among the trees, a blood-stained mask gleaming in the moonlight, waving
Starting point is 09:02:49 at him. Terror filled his veins as he shouted for the police to come. The officers quickly descended on the area, weapons drawn, scanning for the threat. In the chaos, someone shouted, put the knife down. Mark's panic grew, he heard gunshots rip through the air, followed by yells of the officers. Suddenly, the killer bolted into the shadows, leaving a chaos of bodies in his wake. With his heart in his throat, Mark sprinted toward the safety of the woods, the haunting screams and sirens ringing in his ears. Within the trees, he grabbed a random passerby. We need to get out of here, he yelled, pulling the stranger into hiding behind an old oak.
Starting point is 09:03:34 Gunshots rang behind them, then silence. Hope flickered briefly, they believed they were safe. The stranger wanted to investigate, inching closer to the chaos, whispering, let me see. But fear coursed through Mark. No. Stay here, he begged. However, that plea fell on deaf ears as the stranger crept forward, only to be met with the killer, who had emerged from the darkness, knife in hand, piercing through the stranger's back. Mark's heart shattered. Screens filled the air, and he turned to run, but the killer's gaze was upon him, fueled by the thrill of the hunt. Then, Mark heard that.
Starting point is 09:04:16 the distant cries of officers calling out, their words of warning barely reaching him. As he dove deeper into the woods, he stumbled upon a scene of horror, bodies strewn across the ground, officers lifeless, their faces frozen in terror. Stricken with fear, Mark could barely process what he saw when the chilling sound of footsteps approached him. Running faster than ever, he knew he had to escape. Just when he thought he had lost the killer, the creature came at him with renewed vigor. Mark darted into a clearing, a police station in the distance, but it appeared abandoned. Clarity dawned as he raced inside, his breath hitching in his throat in horror. Every officer lay dead, their bodies mangled, a note placed on the wall,
Starting point is 09:05:02 you can't get away. We're just starting to have fun. A scream echoed from an adjacent room, fueled by a desperation that struck deep into Mark's soul, help me. Please. But he could couldn't bear to confront another thing sleeping in those shadows. In a moment of wild panic, he dashed outside. On the road, he frantically waved down a car, hurling himself in front of it. It skidded to a halt, a kind stranger, terrified but willing to assist, yelled, get in. Driven by adrenaline, they sped through the night, but fate had other plans, a figure emerged from the tree lean, there stood the killer, waving his severed hand as if to mock them. Drive
Starting point is 09:05:46 Drive Mark screamed, the stranger flooring the gas pedal as they raced away. Hours passed before they finally found themselves in a remote town, their hearts racing with relief amidst the dawn. Exhausted, they made their way to the local police station, recounting the horrific tale. But before they could feel safe, a call crackled through the radio. Murders reported just ten miles away. As they arrived at the grim scene, their heart sank at the sight of another body, dismembered, another note attached, if you give up those two boys, everything will go away.
Starting point is 09:06:23 Nausea twisted in Mark's gut, hopelessness seeped into his bones. Yet, the police tried to calm them, assuring them they would be safe. But hours passed, and the killer seemingly taunted them at every turn. When police finally cornered him down, shots rang once again, and they thought it was over. lifting the mask from the killer's face relief rushed through the officers but that relief turned to horror when the figure awoke gasping for breath as he reached for a knife hidden beneath his body chaos erupted everyone has to die he screamed striking outwards with a rushed fervor the police attempted to subdue him but he was a whirlwind of bloodlust cutting down officers left and right mark watched paralyzed in fear as the killer approached him, a glint of madness in his eyes. Then, in a haunting response to liberty, the killer spun around, knife raised high, and with one arcing swipe, Mark felt the edge sliced through flesh.
Starting point is 09:07:27 Falling to the ground, blood pooling around him, Mark was left questioning what had happened to their normal life, a tragedy woven into nightmares, and within that darkness, he and Jenna, once inseparable, were now lost forever. And so the cycle of horror continued. I sat in our family garden with my brother, discussing the series of child disappearances that had terrorized the county. Rumors swirled around the case, but the most unsettling implicated both a reclusive church monk from the chapel across the street and a school nurse.
Starting point is 09:07:58 Lost in our speculative musings, spinning threads of horror and imagination, our conversation was abruptly interrupted by our father, who announced that prospective buyers had arrived to see the house. I went out to greet them about ten minutes later. The visitors were a man and a woman in their mid-thirties, accompanied by a remarkably composed seven-year-old girl. Yet, what caught my eye was the woman, she cradled a small child tightly wrapped in a heavy cloth, as if determined to conceal him.
Starting point is 09:08:25 Their peculiar air, even evoking an almost theatrical nod to the classic detective duo of Watson and his partner, did little to distract me from my duty. I began the tour on the ground floor, showcasing the warm kitchen, the inviting living room, and several guest rooms. Soon after, my mother called me to lead the buyers to the second floor. As we climbed the creaking stairs, I overheard the man and woman exchanging hushed words. In a fleeting moment, the little girl, calm beyond her years, uttered the word, shovel, while pointing to a toy that belonged to my younger brother.
Starting point is 09:08:57 She remarked to her father that it wasn't nearly as good for digging as her larger shovel, but he cut her off sharply, his tone laced with a palpable urgency as though he feared she might reveal too much. My mother quickly intervened, steering the conversation back to the house, after all, my parents were insistent on selling, or even abandoning, the house despite its charm. After some tense negotiations, the buyers refused to pay the asking price, citing that the grave of the house is too small to justify such an expense. Their visit ended as abruptly as it had begun. As they left, I noticed from the car porch that the man and woman appeared visibly unsettled. At one point, the woman's grip slackened, and the cloth covering the small child slipped,
Starting point is 09:09:38 revealing his face for just a moment. There, emblazoned on his forehead, was a deep, raw gash, a vivid red mark meticulously arranged in the form of an inverted, curved cross. An inexplicable shock surged through me, as if an unseen force had struck. That evening at dinner, I recounted what I had witnessed. My family met my words with laughter and dismissive scoffs, save for my older brother, who seemed gravely disturbed. In a hushed tone, he revealed that he had read the police statements regarding the missing children case. According to the report, a child's limp body had been discovered
Starting point is 09:10:12 by the river in a neighboring village that very morning, bearing mysterious symbols and scars whose origins remained unexplained. His revelation left us all stunned, though our father curtly commanded, enough. Finish your meal and return to your rooms, I spent the night tormented by the image of that scarred face, overwhelmed by regret. Had I been as diligent as my brother in keeping up with the news, I might have alerted the authorities immediately, or even documented the strange couple and their child to launch my own investigation. Days later, while passing by the long-abandoned house down the street, I noticed an unexpected flurry of activity. The property, deserted for over five years, was suddenly alive with
Starting point is 09:10:50 workers' unloading furniture and repair crews busily restoring its neglected structure. Oddly, the previous owners had fled in haste not long after their purchase, and throughout those five years, three imposing statues had stood Sentinel in the backyard, fixed firmly into the earth. I had yet to see the new owners, but a flicker of excitement stirred within me at the thought that perhaps they might have a daughter my age, or even a son. When I returned home, I found my mother preparing her famed county dish, a unique pumpkin and squash soup that, despite its unusual blend, was undeniably delicious. Later, the radio crackled to life with an official announcement, new developments in the missing children case. It reported that authority
Starting point is 09:11:29 had identified the murdered child, whose body bore that distinctive mark, through DNA testing, confirming his identity as Jack Wilson. At that moment, my mother inquired, isn't he the son of the living monk's nephew? I nodded silently in affirmation. The day slipped by quickly. As I prepared to leave for school on my bicycle, I passed the newly renovated house once more and caught a glimpse of something all too familiar, the same little girl who had accompanied those dubious figures. To be continued.

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