Crime With My Coffee

In 1981, Robert Mountford, Jr and his coworker Laura Susan Ramsay were hiking the Appalachian Trail. In May, they were in Virginia, hiking the area of the trail around Dismal Creek, near Pearisburg. When they didn't arrive at a scheduled meet with a fellow hiker towards the end of the month, the hiker called the authorities. A few days later, their bodies were found, along with a fingerprint that would lead straight to their killer. Upon his eventual release from prison, he would again take to the trail and attack two other campers, who miraculously survived to tell the tale of their encounter with Randall Lee Smith, the Appalachian Trail Killer.

Sources for this episode:
Appalachian Trail Histories - Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay
Murderpedia - Randall Lee Smith
Grunge - The 1981 Appalachian Trail Hike That Ended In Murder
Strange Outdoors - Murder on the Appalachian Trail
Wikipedia - Appalachian Trail, Dismal Creek, Pearisburg, VirginiaSupport the show

We have the pleasure of chatting with the writer and director of American Murderer, Matthew Gentile.

American Murderer is a true crime thriller based on the story of Jason Derek Brown. Jason Brown has been on the FBI's Most Wanted list for nearly 20 years, after he disappeared after the murder of armored truck guard, Robert Keith Palomares and making off with about $56,000 in cash.

American Murderer is in select theaters now and will be available to stream starting October 28, 2022.

Matthew Gentile, director, you can also find him on Instagram @matthewlgentile
People - Ryan Phillippe, Tom Pelphrey Star in American Murderer TrailerSupport the show

This week we have two quick cases for you. First up, we have the tragic death of Sean McHugh. He was 19 years old, on his way to the laundromat, when he was attacked by five guys of the local gang, the Laneheads. All five killers were quickly apprehended. Also, we discuss the life and accomplishments of actor Phil Hartman and his unfortunate death at the hands of his wife.

Sources for this episode:
Mirror - Baby-faced killers murder victim in six minutes of terror because of his post code
Liverpool Echo - Who was Sean "Shorty" McHugh, when he was stabbed and who killed him?
Wikipedia - Liverpool
Wikipedia - Phil Hartman
Wikipedia - List of people from Brantford
Biography - Inside Phil Hartman's Tragic and Shocking Death
Murderpedia - Brynn HartmanSupport the show

In the late 1980s, New Castle County in Delaware became the hunting grounds for The Corridor Killer. Once captured, Steven Pennell was convicted of the murders of Shirley Ellis and Catherine DiMauro. He plead No Contest in the murders of Margaret Finner and Michelle Gordon. Kathleen Meyer's body has never been found, though she is suspected to be a fifth victim of Pennell. After his trial, Pennell was sentenced to death.

Sources for this episode:
Wikipedia - Steven Brian Pennell, Glasgow, Delaware, Census-designated place, New Castle, Delaware, James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
Murderpedia - Steven Brian PennellSupport the show

During 1970 and 1971, a man was stalking women in Bucharest, Romania. He would attack them in the middle of the night, during insane weather events, and he reportedly would drink blood from some of his victims. This man became known as the Vampire of Bucharest. He was eventually identified as Ion Rimaru. He was caught, arrested, and convicted of several crimes before he was ultimately sentenced to death. One year to the day after his execution, his father, Florea Rimaru, was killed and subsequently identified as another serial killer who had terrified the city of Bucharest in 1944.

Sources for this episode:
FBI.gov - Serial Murder
Wikipedia - Bucharest
Historic Mysteries - Rimaru and His Father: Both Heinous Serial Killers in Bucharest
CourseHero - Ion Rimaru: The Vampire of BucharestSupport the show

On July 24, 2002, Clara Harris confronted her husband of 20 years about the affair he was having with his former receptionist. She did this in the foyer of the hotel he and his mistress had gotten a room in in Houston, Texas. When told to take it outside, Clara got behind the wheel of her car and proceeded to run him over and kill him.

Sources for this episode:
Wikipedia - Friendswood, Texas, Houston, List of people from Houston, A. J. Foyt, Murder of David Lynn Harris, Mountain View Unit
ABC News - Woman Who Ran Over Husband Tells Of Marriage
KHOU 11 - Clara Harris being released in May, 15 years after running over cheating husband
ABC 13 - Clara Harris: Wife Who Fatally Ran Over Cheating Husband
CBS News - Mistress: He Said Marriage Was 'Open'
Oprah - Shattered Lives
Texas Monthly - Suburban MadnessSupport the show

In 2015 in Bristol, England, 16 year old Rebecca "Becky" Watts was reported missing. Within the next two weeks, police launched the #FindBecky campaign online, searched multiple homes, and did everything they could to find the missing teenager. Just under two weeks after she was reported missing, the police arrested two people in connection with her disappearance and her subsequent murder. It hit much closer to home than her family and friends could have imagined.

Sources for this episode:
Wikipedia - Bristol
Best of Bristol - 29 Famous People From Bristol
The Sun - What happened in the murder of Becky Watts, when was she killed by her step-brother Nathan Matthews, and what did her dad say about it?
The Guardian - Becky Watts: case review finds eight services failed murdered teenager, Becky Watts: a shy girl who was growing in confidence, Becky Watts: timeline of the 16-year-old's disappearance
Daily Mail - Becky Watts' killer Shauna Hoare fell under Nathan Matthews' spell when she was 14
Huffington Post UK - Becky Watts Murder: Teenager 'Was Dismembered With A Power Saw'
The Sun - Where is Nathan Matthews now, why did he murder his step-sister Becky Watts and what happened to his girlfriend Shauna Hoare?Support the show

David Mason was a serial killer who targeted elderly people in the early 1980s. He also left a cassette tape in the possession of his family, who turned it over to the police when they came knocking. This tape had David's confessions on it, with details only the police and the killer could know.

Sources for this episode:
Wikipedia - Statesboro, Georgia, David Mason (murderer), Oakland, California, San Quentin State Prison
Murderpedia - David Edwin MasonSupport the show

Take a break for the heavy episodes with us this week as we share some short and humorous crime stories.

Sources for this episode:
Newser - Cops: Man Stole Car, Tried to Sell It Back to Its Owner
Police1 - 20 crazy funny police reports
BabaMail - Could These Be the Most Incompetent Criminals?
Fox News - Florida man sent back to jail after not paying for taxi ride home from jail
WSB TV - Florida woman named Crystal Methvin arrested for possession of crystal meth, police saySupport the show

In the 1970s in Wyoming, Mark Hopkinson, who had seemed to have such a promising football career ahead of him before injuring his knee, ended up being the only person sentenced to death and executed in the state since 1965.

Sources for this episode:
sources to be updated soonSupport the show