When 28-year-old Joel Michael Guy Jr. learned his parents were cutting off his financial support after nearly a decade of funding his lifestyle, he devised a horrifying plan. This deep-dive true crime investigation uncovers how an entitled college dropout meticulously plotted to murder his own parents for a $500,000 insurance payout, only to be caught by his own incompetence and the security cameras he most likely never knew existed.

Sources:

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. JOEL MICHAEL GUY, JR. Appeal from the Criminal Court for Knox County. No. 110145 Steve Sword, Judge. No. E2021-00560-CCA-R3-CD. November 15, 2022 Session. 

https://www.wvlt.tv/2020/11/19/live-joel-guy-jr-appears-in-court-for-final-sentencing/

Joel Guy Jr. has a court hearing Thursday morning in Knox County. By John North For WBIR.com. November 18, 2020. Updated November 19, 2020. 

https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/neworleans/news/press-releases/knoxville-fugitive-arrested-by-fbi-for-the-alleged-murder-of-his-parents

Joel Guy Jr. loses his longshot appeal after he was convicted in his parents' murders. By Liz Kellar For Knoxville News Sentinel. May 10, 2023. 

Joel Guy Jr. asks to be put to death in his parents' murders, but state won't pursue it

By Jamie Satterfield. For The Knoxville News Sentinel. 

“I think about you all the time:” Joel Guy Jr. contacts best friend from jail

Joel Guy Jr.'s best friend and roommate reveals details about Guy’s personality. By Megan Sadler. Published: Sep. 30, 2020 at 5:17 PM PDT. 

Who is Joel Guy Jr.? What do we know about the man accused of killing and dismembering his parents at a Knox County home? By Megan Sadler. Published: Sep. 29, 2020 at 1:51 PM PDT. 

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. JOEL MICHAEL GUY. No. E2021-00560-CCA-R3-CD. October 2022.

Between 1991 and 1995, a seemingly ordinary postal worker living in suburban New York concealed a horrifying secret. Robert Yale Shulman targeted vulnerable sex workers, brutally murdering at least five women before dismembering their bodies and disposing of them in dumpsters across the region. This is the chilling true story of how a shy, introverted mail handler became one of New York's most brutal serial killers, and how dogged detective work finally brought him to justice.

This episode examines not just the crimes, but the systemic failures that allowed Shulman to prey on society's most vulnerable for years. From the tragic stories of his victims, including Lori Vasquez, Lisa Ann Warner, and Kelly Sue Bunting, to the controversial sentencing of his brother Barry, who helped cover up the murders.

Sources:

People v Robert Shulman. Argued September 6, 2005; decided October 25, 2005. Updated March 8, 2006. https://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/court-of-appeals/2005/2005-07827.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Shulman_%28serial_killer%29

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13954331/robert-yale-shulman

Robert Shulman's Brookhaven Burial: Long Island Killer's Prison Death Marks End of Notorious Case.

https://www.factualamerica.com/serial-cuts/robert-shulmans-brookhaven-burial-long-island-killers-prison-death-marks-end-of-notorious-case

Brookhaven Butcher: Robert Shulman's Long Island Killing Spree Terrorized Community for Years. https://www.factualamerica.com/serial-cuts/brookhaven-butcher-robert-shulmans-long-island-killing-spree-terrorized-community-for-years

When Officer Charles Bernoskie was gunned down during a routine patrol in 1958, his murder went unsolved for decades, protected by a family's deadly silence. This is the conclusion to the story of Robert Zarinsky, a serial killer who terrorized New Jersey communities throughout the 1960s and 70s, leaving behind a trail of young women who simply seemed to just vanish without a trace.

This gripping tale reveals how one mother's obsession with appearances and family loyalty created a monster, how DNA evidence finally connected decades-old cold cases, and why some victims' families waited over 40 year

Sources:

https://murderpedia.org/male.Z/z/zarinsky-robert-deadly-secrets.htm

Suspected serial killer Robert Zarinsky dies in prison. By Laura Craven. For The Star Ledger. November 30, 2008. https://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/2008/11/tony_kurdzukthe_starledgerhand.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Zarinsky

50-year-old cold case solved. By Andrew Ford for app.com. February 17, 2016.

https://www.app.com/story/news/crime/jersey-mayhem/2016/02/17/serial-killer-accused-another-murder/80513376/

https://web.archive.org/web/20150209235300/http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/robert_zarinsky/index.html

When Officer Charles Bernoskie was gunned down during a routine patrol in 1958, his murder went unsolved for decades, protected by a family's deadly silence. This is the chilling true story of Robert Zarinsky, a serial killer who terrorized New Jersey communities throughout the 1960s and 70s, leaving behind a trail of young women who simply vanished.

From the disappearance of 17-year-old Rosemary Calandriello in 1969 to the brutal murders of Jane Durrua, Linda Balabanow, and others, Zarinsky's reign of terror was enabled by a family willing to cover up his darkest crimes. 

This gripping tale reveals how one mother's obsession with appearances and family loyalty created a monster, how DNA evidence finally connected decades-old cold cases, and why some victims' families waited over 40 years for answers.

Sources:

https://murderpedia.org/male.Z/z/zarinsky-robert-deadly-secrets.htm

Suspected serial killer Robert Zarinsky dies in prison. By Laura Craven. For The Star Ledger. November 30, 2008. https://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/2008/11/tony_kurdzukthe_starledgerhand.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Zarinsky

50-year-old cold case solved. By Andrew Ford for app.com. February 17, 2016.

https://www.app.com/story/news/crime/jersey-mayhem/2016/02/17/serial-killer-accused-another-murder/80513376/

https://web.archive.org/web/20150209235300/http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/robert_zarinsky/index.html

In May 1982, two thirteen-year-old boys skipped school in Queensland, Australia, a decision that led one to his brutal death and the other to a nightmare of survival. When Peter Aston and Terry Ryan accepted a ride from two men, they had no idea they were entering a world of sadistic violence, a world of unimaginable pain. What followed became one of Australia's most disturbing crimes: hours of torture, sexual abuse, and murder that would leave one boy dead and another forever traumatized. This episode explores the shocking details of Peter Aston's murder, the twisted relationship between his killers, the impossible choices Terry Ryan faced to survive, and the aftermath that destroyed lives across decades. A harrowing true crime story about evil, coercion, and trauma that still haunts Australia 40 years later.

Sources:

Paul Luckman & Robin Reid: Australian Child Killers. by Paul B. Kidd For CrimeLibrary.com. https://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/reid-robin.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Peter_Aston

Australia's most sadistic child killer applies for parole, sparking warning from original cop. By Staff. For news.com.au. February 25, 2021. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/australias-most-sadistic-child-killer-applies-for-parole-sparking-warning-from-original-cop/MJAMOW6ZTZXC3LGSRLVIVTNLWY/

Soldiers get life sentences for torture murder of boy. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130833614

https://alchetron.com/Nicole-Louise-Pearce-(Paul-Luckman)

https://alchetron.com/Robin-Reid-(criminal)

https://alchetron.com/Murder-of-Peter-Aston

Robert R. Reldan had everything. Looks, charm, and money from a wealthy aunt who adored him. But in October 1975, two women named Susan disappeared from Bergen County only eight days apart. What followed exposed a decades-long pattern: assaults dismissed, paroles granted, a system that kept giving second chances to someone who shouldn't have gotten them in the first place.

It's a story about privilege, the cost of looking the other way, and two families who refused to let their Susans ever be forgotten.

A successful businessman. A perfect suburban address. And a trail of vanished men that led investigators to more than 10,000 human remains. In this episode, we trace Herb Baumeister’s double life—from teenage transgressions to “Brian Smart,” his nights cruising Indianapolis’s gay bars, the discoveries at Fox Hollow Farm, and the investigators who wouldn’t let the case go. We examine what’s known, what’s still conjecture, and why so many families still wait for answers.

If you value deep-dive, responsibly told true crime, follow the show on Spotify. For ad-free episodes and bonus content, subscribe to Almost Fiction Plus.

Dive into the chilling true story of George Waterfield Russell Jr., a man whose repeated rejections fueled a deadly rage against women. From his abandoned childhood in Florida to a string of brutal murders in 1990s Washington State, this episode uncovers the twisted path of a serial killer who staged his victims in horrifying poses. Explore the investigations, key evidence, and trial that brought him to justice.

Listen now and subscribe for more gripping tales, as well as ad-free options available on Almost Fiction Plus.

Explore the haunting case of Earl Richmond Jr., a former drill sergeant whose life unraveled through addiction, rape, and murder. 

From his abusive upbringing in North Carolina to brutal crimes at Fort Dix and beyond, this episode unpacks the evidence, trials, and his execution, while questioning if true redemption is possible after unthinkable evil.

In this episode, we explore the complexities of friendship, focusing on trust and mutual respect. Highlighting the tragic story of Tina Marie Powell and LaFonda Faye Foster, we illustrate how their bond, rooted in shared trauma and addiction, devolved into toxicity and violence.

We recount the harrowing events of April 23, 1986, in Lexington, Kentucky, where a night of drinking led to a devastating crime spree. The episode examines the psychological motives behind their actions and the ripple effects on victims' families.

Through their reflections in prison, we capture Tina and Faye's struggle with remorse and identity, serving as a cautionary tale about the fragility of relationships under pressure and the profound consequences of our choices.

To hear this episode ad free as well as have access to bonus content, join the subscribers feed right here on Spotify for only 3 dollars a month.