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This case is so wild, y’all! It takes place in 1927 in Cisco, Texas, and involves a Santa, a robbery, bounties, a whole town full of people shooting at each other, murders, and mayhem. Merry Christmas from Bad Acts!

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Ad: Rowan & Pine — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rowan-pine-a-feminist-folklore-mythology-podcast/id1632401774 

Episode Source List:
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/santa-claus-bank-robbery

https://member.texasbankers.com/Magazine/magazine/Vault/22-01-The-Cisco-Santa-Robbery.aspx 

https://www.fwweekly.com/2007/12/26/santa-got-a-gun-and-a-rope/ 

https://texashighways.com/culture/history/sinister-santa-a-look-at-the-1927-cisco-bank-robbery/ 

https://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/prisons/inquiry/henry_helms_sep6_1929_1.html 

https://www.mentalfloss.com/crime/santa-claus-bank-robbery-1927 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/62068287/ 

https://www.behindbadge.org/newsroom/ym10hz2l6rw15fy6jj9zp4vsdqlncb 

texasescapes.com/MaggieVanOstrand/The-Night-the-Posse-Chased-Santa.htm 

https://member.texasbankers.com/Magazine/magazine/Vault/23-01-Reward-Dead-bank-robbers.aspx 

https://mbcpathway.com/2023/12/04/infamous-1927-santa-claus-robbery-provides-go-to-spiritual-lesson-for-texas-pastor/ 

https://www.nydailynews.com/2018/12/09/bad-santa-robs-bank-gets-lynched/ 

https://www.wideopencountry.com/the-great-santa-claus-bank-robbery/ 

https://www.hotcars.com/fastest-cars-1920s/ 

https://www.americantreasuretour.com/vintage-automobiles-1920-to-1929 

https://blog.americansafetycouncil.com/the-history-of-speed-limits-in-america/ 

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One morning, Patricia Luna opened her door to accept a flower bouquet. Seven hours later, Patricia, her husband Albert, Sr., and two of their children were discovered in a ghastly crime scene that encompassed three rooms in their home. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

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Episode Source List:
https://law.justia.com/cases/arizona/supreme-court/1998/cr960296-1.html

https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2019/07/24/08-99027.pdf

https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-ca9-08-99027

https://www.azcourts.gov/Portals/0/News%20Release%20-%20Arizona%20Supreme%20Court%20Issues%20Execution%20Warrant%20for%20Richard%20Kenneth%20Djerf.pdf 

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-azd-2_02-cv-00358/pdf/USCOURTS-azd-2_02-cv-00358-0.pdf 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-7856/141574/20200414125520981_2020.04.14%20SHELL%20Reply.pdf 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/az-supreme-court/1006872.html 

https://www.azcourts.gov/Portals/0/0000-AppellantsOpeningBrief-03179299-0.PDF 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-7856/139577/20200331181604111_BIO%20-%202.pdf 

https://maricopacountyattorney.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1249 

https://corrections.az.gov/news/execution-scheduled-inmate-richard-djerf-adcrr-121385 

https://corrections.az.gov/news/scheduled-execution-inmate-richard-djerf-adcrr-121385-completed 

https://apnews.com/article/arizona-execution-richard-djerf-bb1cb163898fcb3163092448b24f9e9f 

https://apnews.com/article/arizona-execution-richard-djerf-fe353b3bd4d9d4243ffa5b911fc958fa 

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In 2023, Jennifer and Robbie Tower welcomed their 21-year-old adopted son back into their home. They’d rescued him from a Ukrainian orphanage, but he repaid them in blood. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

Ad: Thick Thighs and Creepy Vibes — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thick-thighs-and-creepy-vibes/id1736179086 

Episode Source List:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAWjmT4pkhg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbAMekrZe1A 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlmRs7vLgvc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c60dygOWurg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_z0wmqPczE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZcW8M99FLU 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBs9DwRlObM 

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/courts/2025/11/17/dima-tower-murder-trial-parents-sarasota-north-port-florida-sentence/87270341007/ 

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2025/11/14/dima-tower-found-guilty-first-degree-murder-parents-deaths/

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2025/11/14/an-evil-spirit-judge-hands-down-maximum-penalty-convicted-killer/ 

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/dima-tower-stabbed-parents-florida-b2407066.html

https://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-man-accused-killing-adoptive-parents-could-face-life-prison 

https://people.com/adoptive-son-on-trial-parents-massacred-bodies-found-head-to-head-11848252 

https://robersonfh.com/obituary/robbie-tower/

https://robersonfh.com/obituary/jennifer-christine-tower/ 

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Parents-Who-Get-Killed-and-the-Children-Who-Kill-Heide/2065d32fb8cd2957a8cfbb7392da17252bc2e668 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31463985/ 

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/adoption-and-murder-advances-psychology-and-law-p-274-280-1997 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34131962/ 

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On September 18, 2015, 50-year-old Heike Poike missed school pickup for her 8-year-old grandson. When police went to check on Heike, they found a disturbing crime scene and an unhinged man who’d done the unthinkable. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

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Episode Source List:
https://law.justia.com/cases/utah/supreme-court/2024/20220560.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ut-supreme-court/115885520.html 

https://www.scribd.com/doc/283369702/Alexander-Tran-Charges 

https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/district-attorney/Media/judge-orders-alexander-hung-tran-to-three-life-sentences-without-the-possiblity-of-parole-for-2015-aggravated-murders/

https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/district-attorney/Media/jury-finds-alexander-hung-tran-guilty-of-three-2015-aggravated-murders/ 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/triple-murder-suspect-allegedly-said-mom-made-me-do-it/ 

https://www.ksl.com/article/51367190/jury-finds-salt-lake-man-guilty-of-3-counts-of-aggravated-murder-in-2015-triple-killing 

https://www.deseret.com/2015/10/1/20573462/homeowner-accused-in-triple-homicide-had-wanted-renters-to-leave-charges-state/ 

https://www.ksl.com/article/36596650/neighbor-killed-man-grandmother-2-month-old-baby-police-say

https://www.deseret.com/2015/9/21/20572866/motive-for-3-killings-unknown-but-dad-says-answers-may-never-be-known/ 

https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=2977019&itype=CMSID 

https://www.premierfuneral.com/obituaries/heike-poike-23208/obituary 

https://www.premierfuneral.com/obituaries/lyrik-amorpoike-23208/obituary 

https://www.peelfuneralhome.com/obituaries/dakota-smith 

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/four-federal-indictments-unsealed-alleging-sex-trafficking-children-transportation-minors

https://www.ksl.com/article/37687105/sandy-woman-accepts-plea-deal-in-child-sex-trafficking-case

https://kutv.com/news/local/8-charged-after-child-trafficking-bust 

https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3287203&itype=CMSID 

https://lawandcrime.com/crime/increasingly-obsessive-murderer-fixated-on-woman-blows-away-her-mom-infant-daughter-in-a-baby-bouncer-and-a-family-friend/ 

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Today, we’re talking about a wannabe killer who tried to solve his problems by hiring hitmen. Yes, that’s hitmen plural. He just kept hiring them.  

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

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Episode Source List:
Gregory Hess
https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/superior-court/2020/487-mda-2019.html 

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2015/11/manipulator_or_target_of_oppor.html 

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/york-county-man-accused-of-hiring-hit-man-now-accused-of-hiring-second-hit-man-to-kill-the-first/ 

https://www.wgal.com/article/police-man-offers-hitman-30-000-to-kill-wife-s-friend/6231342 

https://www.wgal.com/article/york-county-man-accused-of-3-murder-for-hire-plots-out-on-bail/6236175 

https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/contests/hess-sentenced-in-murder-for-hire-case-faces-up-to-24-years/521-ea9d86a1-9cd7-4c76-954c-cd960e9a23be 

https://local21news.com/news/local/closing-remarks-made-in-gregory-hess-trial

https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2015/12/31/hess-sentenced-12-24-years/78122334/ 

https://www.wgal.com/article/man-accused-of-trying-to-hire-hit-man-repeatedly-heads-to-hearing/5914750 

https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2015/05/he_wanted_to_kick_his_ass_daug.html 

https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2014/06/son_of_york_county_man_charged.html 

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/03/toby_hess_gregory_hess_murder.html 

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2015/11/gregory_hess_trial_deliberatio.html 

https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2016/03/01/murder-for-hire-hit-man-hess/81167700/ 

https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2015/05/27/verdict-reached-murder-hire-plot-trial/31254019/ 

https://www.ydr.com/story/news/crime/2015/05/22/prosecution-rests-greg-hess-trial/31267675/ 

https://www.wgal.com/article/man-accused-in-murder-for-hire-plot-now-accused-in-second-plot/6232094 

https://sevenvalleysborough.com/history/ 

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One boss, two coworkers, and an affair that almost ended in murder. At least this lady tried to use the “dark web” instead of that fake hitman site that people keep messaging. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

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Ad: Rowan & Pine — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rowan-pine-a-feminist-folklore-mythology-podcast/id1632401774 

Episode Source List:
telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/07/18/woman-workplace-love-triangle-searched-dark-web-hitman-murder/ 

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/people/woman-in-bizarre-milton-keynes-love-triangle-hitman-case-convicted-of-soliciting-murder-3779157 

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/jealous-woman-hored-hitman-to-kill-love-rival-as-they-were-both-having-affair-with-boss/news-story/42619183b25232f8afa9ccbf69a997a0?amp

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-63010910 

https://theweek.com/news/uk-news/957400/sports-direct-trial-woman-accused-of-hiring-hitman-over-work-love-triangle 

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/love-rival-asked-how-to-get-away-with-hit-rsgsfjqn6 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21749633/sports-direct-worker-tried-hitman/ 

https://metro.co.uk/2022/09/23/sports-direct-worker-jailed-for-attempting-to-hire-dark-web-hitman-17435327/ 

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In the 1890s, Dr. H.H. Holmes became famous for being America’s 1st Serial Killer, even though he technically wasn’t the first. He’s also famous for building a murder castle in Chicago, where he reportedly murdered over a hundred victims with torture devices, secret gas chambers, and a secret crematorium. But what really happened in Holmes’ murder castle? Today, we’re going to talk about H.H. Holmes and his basic BS. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

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Ad: Brutal, Bizarre, and Boozy — https://open.spotify.com/show/44Z9VDxjEVGpbPBkYzQorh?si=0556a1a9b65048bd&nd=1&dlsi=7e42cb75c47e4fc4

Episode Source List:
H.H. Holmes
https://thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/immigrant-neighborhood/h-h-holmes/ 

https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-h-h-holmes 

https://www.history.com/articles/murder-castle-h-h-holmes-chicago 

https://www.biography.com/crime/hh-holmes 

https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/serial-killers/hh-holmes/ 

https://www.britannica.com/biography/H-H-Holmes 

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-hauntings-h-h-holmes-murder-castle-post-office/ 

https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=forensic_scholars_today 

https://poklib.libguides.com/c.php?g=648949&p=4551261 

https://www.biography.com/crime/hh-holmes-victims 

https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/married-to-murderer-h-w-mudgett/ 

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-7/a-serial-killer-is-hanged 

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/h-h-holmes 

https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2024/05/28/chicago-journalism-history/ 

Belle Gunness
https://laportecountyhistory.org/exhibits/belle-gunness/

https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-belle-gunness-murder-farm

https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-belle-gunness-murder-farm/selected-articles 

https://www.pbs.org/video/death-on-the-farm-how-belle-gunness-amassed-a-fortune-by-luring-men-to-her-farm-and-chopping-them-to-pieces-l6avan/

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In part one, we’re discussing Houston’s most notorious serial killer, Dean Corll, aka The Candyman or The Candyman Killer. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

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Ad: Haunted Tales — https://linktr.ee/hauntedtales 

Help Identify Dean Corll’s Potential 28th Victim: https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2023/candy-man-victim 

Episode Source List:
The Candy Man — Dean Corll
The Serial Killer’s Apprentice. Investigation Discovery. 2025.

https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/court-of-criminal-appeals/1978/53561-53566-3.html 

https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/court-of-criminal-appeals/1979/56288-3.html 

https://abc13.com/post/dean-corll-houston-candyman-serial-killer-1970s-murders-boathouse-killings-new-details-elmer-wayne-henley-david-brooks/16368766/ 

https://abc13.com/post/texas-equusearch-elmer-wayne-henley-dean-corll-serial-killer/11222228/?userab=kfsn_web_player-447*variant_b_kfsn_dmp-1861

https://abc13.com/post/candy-man-murders-pasadena-texas-dean-corll-home-demolition-elmer-wayne-henley/12875230/?userab=kfsn_web_player-447*variant_b_kfsn_dmp-1861 

https://people.com/where-is-elmer-wayne-henley-now-11792024 

https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2023/candy-man-victim 

https://www.aetv.com/articles/candy-man-killer-victims 

https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/the-lost-boys/ 

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110743429

https://www.houstonpress.com/news/the-girl-on-the-torture-board-rhonda-williams-opens-up-about-being-attacked-by-dean-corll-6736780/?storyPage=4 

https://texasarchive.org/2022_00177 

https://www.aetv.com/articles/elmer-wayne-henley

https://www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/2025/06/19/parents-fight-against-release-of-houston-serial-killers-accomplice/ 

https://www.houstonpress.com/news/killer-art-6571167/ 

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In 2022, 29-year-old Monica De Leon Barba moved from San Mateo, California, to the city of Tepatitlán in Jalisco, Mexico, to do photography work for a family member’s new business. But as she was walking on a normal city street with her dog Asa in broad daylight, a group of men kidnapped her.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

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Ad: Thick Thighs and Creepy Vibes — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thick-thighs-and-creepy-vibes/id1736179086 

Episode Source List:
Monica De Leon Barba
https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sanfrancisco/news/fbi-san-francisco-releases-video-depicting-the-kidnapping-of-monica-de-leon-barba 

https://abc7news.com/post/monica-de-leon-barba-woman-kidnapped-mexico-found-san-mateo-bay-area-in/13507676/

https://abc7.com/post/monica-de-leon-barba-woman-kidnapped-mexico-found-san-mateo-bay-area-in/13507904/ 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/17/us/monica-de-leon-barba-mexico-return-friend 

https://nypost.com/2023/07/17/monica-de-leon-barbas-doing-good-after-mexico-kidnapping/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCjTye4PEBI 

https://travelmaps.state.gov/TSGMap/ 

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In February 1988, 16-year-old David Brom used an ax to murder his parents Bernard and Paulette, and his siblings Diane and Ricky. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspod

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

Ad: Getting Down & Wordy Podcast — https://linktr.ee/gettingdownandwordy 

Episode Source List:
https://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/supreme-court/1990/c3-89-2269-2.html 

https://lawandinequality.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/06_8Law_Ineq11989-1990.pdf 

https://coms.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/OffenderDetails/Index/146854/Search 

https://www.kttc.com/2025/07/31/brom-murders-inside-look-investigation-case-file/ 

https://www.kttc.com/video/2025/07/30/digging-deeper-axe-murderer-david-broms-next-chapter/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/20/us/boy-16-charged-in-ax-murders-of-4-in-his-family-in-minnesota.html 

https://www.postbulletin.com/friend-testifies-brom-gave-killing-details 

https://people.com/man-who-murdered-parents-siblings-ax-will-go-free-11775244  

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1262250518884365