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31-year-old Mel Cotton helped her friend escape a violent relationship. About two weeks later, her sister arrived to babysit Mel’s son to find the boy injured and Mel dead. Her murder was an escalation that anyone could see coming, and her attacker shouldn’t have been free to kill her.   

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

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

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

Episode Source List:
https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/court-of-criminal-appeals/2011/ap-76-345.html 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-6139.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/tx-court-of-appeals/1104863.html 

https://tcadp.org/2010/03/12/travis-county-sentences-man-to-death/

https://www.txcourts.gov/All_Archived_Documents/JudicialInformation/oca/pdf/jchgs/Travis031010JChg.pdf 

https://abc7chicago.com/archive/7341178/

https://archive.gosanangelo.com/news/one-final-outburst-former-abilenian-to-die-for-murder-ep-440943875-357343071.html 

https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/death_row/dr_info/gobertmilton.html 

https://www.owensandbrumley.com/obituary/5042637 

https://www.safeaustin.org/the-violent-reality-of-strangulation/ 

“Blind Rage.” The Mind of a Murderer. Season Two, Episode 3. 24 October 2016.

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Unlike most female serial killers, 20-year-old Piroska Jancsó-Ladányi was a lust killer who targeted young girls. She committed five murders before anyone suspected her because no one thinks the bogey man is going to be a small young woman with a Mona Lisa smile. 

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

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

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

Episode Source List:
https://ujkor.hu/content/anyam-mondta-hogy-oljelek-meg-jancso-ladanyi-piroska-gyilkossagsorozata

https://www.kolisrael.hu/horror-es-vervad-torokszentmikloson/

https://egyperceskrimi.blog.hu/2015/11/14/ot_holttest_a_kutban_jancso_ladanyi_piroska_remtortenete

https://www.szoljon.hu/bulvar-jasz-nagykun-szolnok/2015/01/hatvan-eve-akasztottak-fel-jancso-piroskat 

https://www.szoljon.hu/kozelet-jasz-nagykun-szolnok/2015/01/hatvan-eve-akasztottak-fel-jancso-piroskat-4-resz 

https://www.szoljon.hu/bulvar-jasz-nagykun-szolnok/2015/01/rettenetes-es-megbotrankoztato-titkok-derultek-ki 

https://www.szoljon.hu/bulvar-jasz-nagykun-szolnok/2015/01/egy-kislany-eltunesevel-indult-a-verfurdo 

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(Audio is pretty good!) In February 2025, 32-year-old Margaux Whittemore traveled to Maine with her husband, Samuel, to visit her mother-in-law. She wouldn’t make it back home. Investigators soon learned that Samuel Whittemore was having a strange conversation with an AI chatbot, which led him to attack his wife and mother. 

Episode Source List:
https://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/taxonomy/term/1549

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12805049/

https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/what-is-ai-psychosis/

https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2025.10.10.5

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2602.09339 

https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt/

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/10/17/central-maine/central-maine-police-courts/readfield-maine-giles-road-homicide-samuel-whittemore-not-criminally-responsible-chat-gpt-delusions/ 

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/02/21/central-maine/belfast-man-led-globe-trotting-life-with-wife-he-allegedly-killed/ 

https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-man-accused-of-using-fire-poker-in-fatal-attack-on-wife-maine-giles-road-family-parents-mother-samuel-whittemore 

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/family-mourns-margaux-whittemore-plans-bring-her-home-france/97-91cf1f40-102d-4f4d-baf5-7a06ddd5ed3c 

https://abc13.com/post/margaux-whittemore-death-french-woman-houston-ties-allegedly-murdered-husband-belfast-maine/15961607/ 

https://www.wmtw.com/article/maine-man-not-criminally-responsible-killing-wife-trying-kill-mother/69071795 

https://www.thinkbrg.com/insights/publications/nervous-system-eliza-effect/ 

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260505-how-to-use-ai-without-turning-your-brain-to-mush 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/09/would-you-entrust-a-childs-life-to-a-chatbot-thats-what-happens-every-day-that-we-fail-to-regulate-ai 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4ml2xwyMko 

https://www.instagram.com/margauxn/ 

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This week, we talk about the true story of Tony & Frances Toto, whose story hit the big screen in 1990 after Frances tried to murder Tony 5 times with the help of a few hitmen, all of whom were very bad at murder. The dark comedy based on their “rough patch” is called I Love You to Death. 

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

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

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

Episode Source List:
https://time.com/archive/6697647/family-man/ 

https://www.mcall.com/1984/01/17/wife-bruno-plead-guilty-in-toto-case/ 

https://www.mcall.com/1984/03/07/totos-wife-bruno-sentenced-in-murder-try/ 

https://www.mcall.com/1984/04/07/2-toto-children-meet-different-fates-at-hearing/ 

https://www.mcall.com/1991/10/25/barlip-out-of-prison-back-in-jail-same-day/ 

https://www.mcall.com/1986/11/03/a-tangled-web-behind-the-headlines-of-the-tony-toto-murder-attempt-lies-a-complex-tale-of-conspiracy-and-innuendo-a-story-of-jumbled-lives-bound-by-fate-and-tragedy/ 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-05-ca-1192-story.html 

https://www.mcall.com/1986/11/03/a-tangled-web-behind-the-headlines-of-the-tony-toto-murder-attempt-lies-a-complex-tale-of-conspiracy-and-innuendo-a-story-of-jumbled-lives-bound-by-fate-and-tragedy/ 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/04/24/the-people-who-lived-i-love-you-to-death/ 

https://local12.com/news/offbeat/couple-together-57-years-survives-infidelity-murder-plot-prison-sentence-tony-frances-toto-i-love-you-to-death-movie-hollywood-film-tristar-pictures-homicide-kill-attempts-teenage-hit-men-affair-jail-relationship-allentown-pennsylvania 

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/lehigh-county/allentown-area/love-conquers-all-how-5-murder-attempts-4-years-in-prison-led-to-60-years/article_ad10d32a-aa56-4574-9b4a-5defeb91c22d.html 

https://www.wsaz.com/2023/02/17/couple-celebrates-57-years-married-despite-multiple-murder-attempts/ 

https://www.deseret.com/1990/4/8/18855377/i-don-t-love-it-at-all-says-hitman-portrayed-in-film/ 

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Over an 8-day period in April 2002, 28-year-old Ray McArthur Freeney preyed on sex workers on Houston, TX’s infamous Bissonnet Strip. He murdered 15-year-old Kirshalynne Jones and 36-year-old Vicky Dean, but they weren’t his only victims. In fact, police caught their killer as he was negotiating prices with his next would-be victim. 

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

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

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

Episode Source List:
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-5th-circuit/1948025.html 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-7414/68106/20181026102251252_App%20A%20-%20Freeney%20v%20Davis%20737%20F%20Appx%20198.pdf 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-7414/96557/20190415171947971_Freeney%20br%20oppn%20FINAL.pdf 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-7414/80178/20190110191635076_Appendices%20-%20Combined.pdf   

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-7414/80178/20190110191619655_2019-01-10%20SCOTUS%20Cert%20Petition%20-%20RF%20-%20FINAL.pdf 

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-txsd-4_14-cv-00373/pdf/USCOURTS-txsd-4_14-cv-00373-0.pdf 

https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/death_row/dr_info/freeneyray.html 

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/murder-suspect-is-arrested-in-stabbing-of-teen-2092120.php 

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Houston-death-row-inmate-convicted-of-stabbing-2-12751312.php 

https://defendernetwork.com/news/local-state/houston-death-row-inmate-convicted-stabbing-2-women-loses-federal-appeal/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/mar/05/pimps-use-instagram-to-glorify-sexual-violence-and-abuse-investigation-finds

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/29/kristen-galvan-texas-missing-murdered 

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On February 14, 1987, Michelle Shadbolt’s stepmother found her brutally murdered in her living room. Everyone suspected Michelle’s estranged husband, but investigators didn’t have enough evidence to arrest him. That’s because he wasn’t their killer…but someone very close to Michelle was hiding a terrible secret.

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://law.justia.com/cases/texas/court-of-criminal-appeals/2026/ap-77-125.html

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5914b52dadd7b04934770fe1 

https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/court-of-criminal-appeals/2011/21125.html 

https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/death_row/dr_info/irvanwilliam.html  

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/years-later-dna-links-man-to-woman-s-death-1997244.php 

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/houstonchronicle/name/william-irvan-obituary?id=27975915  

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In 2011, Amelia Espinoza was raising her son, 18-year-old Moises Meraz-Espinoza, in Los Angeles. This time, Satan really was waiting in the wings…

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

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

Ad: The ODDentity Podcast — https://linktr.ee/oddentitypod 

Wishbone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjjRlr-kmVY 

Episode Source List:
https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/california/cacdce/2:2016cv04597/651690/4 

https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/3:2023cv05947/421129 

https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/Home/Components/News/News/11495/

https://homicide.latimes.com/post/jane-doe-6/ 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2013-jul-17-la-me-satanic-killer-sentencing-20130718-story.html 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moises-meraz-espinoza-calif-man-gets-25-years-in-death-dismemberment-of-mom/

https://abcnews.com/US/chilling-confession-teen-allegedly-dismembered-mother-stored-body/story?id=12859387 

https://salinasvalleytribune.com/jury-convicts-salinas-valley-state-prison-inmate-of-two-counts-of-assault/ 

https://abc7ny.com/archive/7941216/ 

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-cand-3_23-cv-05947/pdf/USCOURTS-cand-3_23-cv-05947-1.pdf 

https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-cand-3_23-cv-05947/USCOURTS-cand-3_23-cv-05947-0/context 

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/huntingtonparkcitycalifornia/PST045224 

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/51441714/MerazEspinoza_v_Santoyo_et_al 

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/satan-worshiper-gets-life-in-prison-for-killing-skinning-mom/ 

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In 1997, 16-year-old Luke Woodham murdered three people and wounded seven in a short crime spree that began at home and ended at Pearl High School in Pearl, Mississippi. His small Mississippi town soon found itself in the grip of the Satanic Panic. It wasn’t long before rumors were flying about Woodham’s friend, 18-year-old Grant Boyette and his supposed satanic cult, The Kroth. 

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

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

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

Episode Source List:
https://law.justia.com/cases/mississippi/supreme-court/2001/conv11206.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1439843.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1439897.html 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCfQ8_tMSZ8 

https://www.ms.gov/mdoc/inmate/Search/PrintDetails/R4682

https://www.wlbt.com/2021/06/17/making-mississippi-school-shooter/ 

https://time.com/archive/6731664/mississippi-gothic/ 

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/six-charged-as-conspirators-in-miss-high-school-slayings/1997/10 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-15-mn-42915-story.html 

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/oct/15/teen-led-satanic-cult-that-plotted-murders/ 

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/05/25/luke-woodham-wants-parole/32625191/ 

https://www.ncsl.org/civil-and-criminal-justice/juvenile-life-without-parole 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1378466.html 

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep543/usrep543551/usrep543551.pdf 

https://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/types-of-crime/school-violence/luke-woodham/ 

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/biases-and-vulnerabilities/juveniles/executions-of-juveniles-since-1976 

https://www.wlbt.com/video/2019/02/18/luke-woodham-makes-initial-court-appearance/ 

https://www.justinsledge.com/faq 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgmPQGWn8pI 

https://www.deseret.com/2000/2/11/19490370/man-sentenced-in-school-deaths/ 

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1998/05/12/Accused-Miss-shooting-mastermind-free/3375894945600/ 

https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/nation-world/1997/10/12/death-satanism-talk-all-around/50591395007/ 

https://www.cnn.com/US/9806/04/woodham.trial.pm/ 

https://time.com/archive/6733068/of-arms-and-the-boy/ 

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/10/15/teen-accused-of-leading-deadly-satanic-cult/ 

https://mndaily.com/uncategorized/judge-drops-conspiracy-charges-mississippi-school-shooting-cases/07/23/1998/snoadmin/ 

https://www.pewresearch.org/2006/09/13/the-devils-new-playground-the-shopping-mall/ 

Send us Fan Mail

In 1997, 16-year-old Luke Woodham murdered three people and wounded seven in a short crime spree that began at home and ended at Pearl High School in Pearl, Mississippi. His small Mississippi town soon found itself in the grip of the Satanic Panic. It wasn’t long before rumors were flying about Woodham’s friend, 18-year-old Grant Boyette and his supposed satanic cult, The Kroth. 

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

PodMoth: https://podmoth.network/

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

Episode Source List:
https://law.justia.com/cases/mississippi/supreme-court/2001/conv11206.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1439843.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1439897.html 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCfQ8_tMSZ8 

https://www.ms.gov/mdoc/inmate/Search/PrintDetails/R4682

https://www.wlbt.com/2021/06/17/making-mississippi-school-shooter/ 

https://time.com/archive/6731664/mississippi-gothic/ 

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/six-charged-as-conspirators-in-miss-high-school-slayings/1997/10 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-15-mn-42915-story.html 

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/oct/15/teen-led-satanic-cult-that-plotted-murders/ 

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/05/25/luke-woodham-wants-parole/32625191/ 

https://www.ncsl.org/civil-and-criminal-justice/juvenile-life-without-parole 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1378466.html 

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep543/usrep543551/usrep543551.pdf 

https://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/types-of-crime/school-violence/luke-woodham/ 

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/biases-and-vulnerabilities/juveniles/executions-of-juveniles-since-1976 

https://www.wlbt.com/video/2019/02/18/luke-woodham-makes-initial-court-appearance/ 

https://www.justinsledge.com/faq 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgmPQGWn8pI 

https://www.deseret.com/2000/2/11/19490370/man-sentenced-in-school-deaths/ 

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1998/05/12/Accused-Miss-shooting-mastermind-free/3375894945600/ 

https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/nation-world/1997/10/12/death-satanism-talk-all-around/50591395007/ 

https://www.cnn.com/US/9806/04/woodham.trial.pm/ 

https://time.com/archive/6733068/of-arms-and-the-boy/ 

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/10/15/teen-accused-of-leading-deadly-satanic-cult/ 

https://mndaily.com/uncategorized/judge-drops-conspiracy-charges-mississippi-school-shooting-cases/07/23/1998/snoadmin/ 

https://www.pewresearch.org/2006/09/13/the-devils-new-playground-the-shopping-mall/ 

Send us Fan Mail

In 1997, 16-year-old Luke Woodham murdered three people and wounded seven in a short crime spree that began at home and ended at Pearl High School in Pearl, Mississippi. His small Mississippi town soon found itself in the grip of the Satanic Panic. It wasn’t long before rumors were flying about Woodham’s friend, 18-year-old Grant Boyette and his supposed satanic cult, The Kroth. 

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/mississippi/supreme-court/2001/conv11206.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1439843.html 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1439897.html 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCfQ8_tMSZ8 

https://www.ms.gov/mdoc/inmate/Search/PrintDetails/R4682

https://www.wlbt.com/2021/06/17/making-mississippi-school-shooter/ 

https://time.com/archive/6731664/mississippi-gothic/ 

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/six-charged-as-conspirators-in-miss-high-school-slayings/1997/10 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-15-mn-42915-story.html 

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/oct/15/teen-led-satanic-cult-that-plotted-murders/ 

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/05/25/luke-woodham-wants-parole/32625191/ 

https://www.ncsl.org/civil-and-criminal-justice/juvenile-life-without-parole 

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1378466.html 

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep543/usrep543551/usrep543551.pdf 

https://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/types-of-crime/school-violence/luke-woodham/ 

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/biases-and-vulnerabilities/juveniles/executions-of-juveniles-since-1976 

https://www.wlbt.com/video/2019/02/18/luke-woodham-makes-initial-court-appearance/ 

https://www.justinsledge.com/faq 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgmPQGWn8pI 

https://www.deseret.com/2000/2/11/19490370/man-sentenced-in-school-deaths/ 

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1998/05/12/Accused-Miss-shooting-mastermind-free/3375894945600/ 

https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/nation-world/1997/10/12/death-satanism-talk-all-around/50591395007/ 

https://www.cnn.com/US/9806/04/woodham.trial.pm/ 

https://time.com/archive/6733068/of-arms-and-the-boy/ 

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/10/15/teen-accused-of-leading-deadly-satanic-cult/ 

https://mndaily.com/uncategorized/judge-drops-conspiracy-charges-mississippi-school-shooting-cases/07/23/1998/snoadmin/ 

https://www.pewresearch.org/2006/09/13/the-devils-new-playground-the-shopping-mall/