In 2009, 20 year old Richard Sam McCroskey was going to a horror core music festival with two girls he met on myspace, 18 year old Melanie Wells and 16 year kid Emma Neiderbrock whom sam saw as his long distance girlfriend. when Emma and Richard met, however, Emma wasn't interested in him because sam wasn't who she imagined he'd be. after the festival, 4 people were murdered, and if it weren't for Kathleen Wells demanding to know where her daughter was, the killer may have never been caught and justice may have never been served.

Arnold, E. (2009, September 22). Update: Chilling New Details Emerge in Syko Sam Horrorcore Murders Case. SF Weekly. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from https://archives.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2009/09/22/update-chilling-new-details-emerge-in-syko-sam-horrorcore-murders-caseAssociated Press. (2009, September 22). Gruesome Details Revealed in “Syko Sam” Killings. NBC Bay Area. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/gruesome-details-revealed-in-virigina-killings/2088926/Blanco, J. I. (n.d.). Richard McCroskey | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. Murderpedia. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from https://murderpedia.org/male.M/m/mccroskey-richard.htmBulwa, D. (2012, February 10). Bay Area suspect allegedly bludgeoned victims. SFGATE. Retrieved August 24, 2022, from https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Bay-Area-suspect-allegedly-bludgeoned-victims-3217121.phpCBS News. (2010, September 20). Horrorcore “Syko Sam.” Retrieved August 21, 2009, from https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/horrorcore-syko-sam/13/DeGroot, N. (2021, August 5). “Syko Sam” - The Farmville Murders. Talk Murder With Me. Retrieved August 24, 2022, from https://www.talkmurderwithme.com/blog/2021/2/17/farmville-murders-syko-samKenney, N. (2021, December 23). The Aspiring Death Metal Rapper Who Couldn’t Lose His “Girlfriend.”Medium. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from https://nicolekenney.medium.com/the-aspiring-death-metal-rapper-couldnt-lose-his-girlfriend-fee9b12dfc83Miller, C. (2010, September 20). Horrorcore Killer “Syko Sam” McCroskey Pleads Guilty to Quadruple Slaying. CBS News. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/horrorcore-killer-syko-sam-mccroskey-pleads-guilty-to-quadruple-slaying/NBC Universal. (2009, September 21). “Syko Sam” rapper held in four slayings. NBC News. Retrieved August 24, 2022, from https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32955138Support the showIf you enjoyed learning about this case, check out our Instagram @bookofthedeadpod or website botdpod.com
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