In 1983, Diane Downs shot her three children and blamed it on someone who wanted to steal her car. Diane had a superficial gunshot wound to her arm as she pulled her car into the ambulance bay of a hospital in Springfield, Oregon. She told hospital staff and later law enforcement that a shaggy-haired man had shot them while attempting to steal her car. One of Diane's daughters was pronounced dead at the hospital, while her other two children lived but suffered significant life-changing injuries.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Diane Downs, who became one of the most hated women in America. The story she told law enforcement changed a few times, and they quickly saw through it. The blood evidence also contradicted her stories. At trial, Diane's oldest daughter had recovered to the point where she could speak, and she told the packed courtroom that it was her mom who shot them. The motive for the shootings left everyone in disbelief.

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In 2022, 17-year-old Riley Whitelaw was murdered by her co-worker, 28-year-old Joshua Johnson, in the breakroom of the Walgreens where they worked. Riley had been harassed by Joshua and had made complaints to management. For a time, the two worked different schedules. But, to get more hours, Riley had to be on the schedule with Johnson.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Riley Whitelaw and her murderer, Joshua Johnson. Riley was put in a situation where she did not feel safe. Ultimately, that feeling proved correct when Joshua Johnson murdered Riley. This is a case that brings up many questions regarding how companies handle these types of situations. Many have levied that Walgreens did not do enough to protect Riley Whitelaw. What should they have done?

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In our annual Halloween episode, we discuss Dennis Depue, the inspiration for the creature in Jeepers Creepers. Like Depue, there have been many real-life cold-blooded killers who have inspired horror movies. These include Ed Gein, Ted Bundy, Gary Heidnik, John Wayne Gacy, and Ronald Defeo Jr., to name a few.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Dennis Depue, a man who blamed his ex-wife for all his troubles. If there was a common theme in his life, nothing was his fault. He blamed his ex-wife Marilynn for leaving him and for his children siding with their mother. It culminated in 1990 when Dennis murdered Marilynn and dumped her body off the side of the road. But, it just so happened that a couple out for a drive saw him and phoned it into police as suspicious.

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Tristan Redman is a journalist who doesn’t believe in ghosts. But weird things happened in his teenage bedroom – weirder than normal. When, years later, he discovers subsequent occupants of his family home say they have been visited by the ghost of a faceless woman, he’s curious. It just so happens that the house Tristan grew up in is right next door to the house where his wife’s great-grandmother, Naomi Dancy, was murdered – killed by two gunshots to the face. Could there be a connection? Tristan decides to investigate and soon finds himself where no son-in-law should ever be: delving deep into his wife’s family history, asking questions no one wants answered. Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios present Ghost Story — a seven-part podcast series about family secrets, overwhelming coincidence, and the things that come back to haunt us.

Follow Ghost Story on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Ghost Story ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. Listen now: Wondery.fm/GS_Criminology

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In 1978, five men disappeared in Northern California. Although some of their remains were eventually found, it only led to a more profound mystery, more questions, and countless theories about what happened to this group of men who’ve come to be known as the Yuba County Five.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss The Yuba County Five. Jack Huett, Ted Weiher, Bill Sterling, Jack Madruga, and Gary Mathias disappeared after a basketball game in 1978. Their car was found up a mountain road in the Plumas National Forest. None of the men were dressed for the cold weather. Four of the five men's bodies were found, but the discoveries only led to more questions. What happened to the men who became collectively known as The Yuba County Five?

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Timothy Bliefnick murdered his wife Rebecca after appearing on the game show The Family Feud. The murder occurred a couple of years later, but one answer Timothy gave on the show was very telling. It provided a glimpse into the marriage and foreshadowed its ending.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Timothy Bliefnick, who has been called The Family Feud killer. Tim and Rebecca had three children, but their marriage spiraled after the show aired. Rebecca's friends and family have said that Tim was manipulative and controlling. When Rebecca was found murdered, it didn't take long for police to look at Tim as their prime suspect. The couple was going through a divorce and a nasty custody battle.

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In 1980, Charles and Catherine Romer disappeared on their way from Florida back home to New York. The Romers were snowbirds finishing the winter in Florida and heading back home. The police know they arrived at the Holiday Inn in Brunswick City, GA, to check-in. Housekeeping alerted management after it looked like the room had not been slept in for several days, and the Romers were due to have already checked out.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious disappearance of Charles and Catherine Romer. They were a wealthy couple, both on their second marriages. The police discovered they had been carrying around $650,000 in jewelry during the trip. Their Lincoln Continental could not be located. Theories abound, from an accident that left them in a body of water to someone who tracked them from Miami to rob them.

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In the 1990s, a series of murders rocked Perth, Western Australia. They became known as the Claremont serial killings. The murders rocked the area to the point that people were afraid to leave their homes.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the Claremont Killer. This serial killer went unidentified for twenty years. In the end, it was good old-fashioned detective work that cracked the case. Advancements in DNA allowed evidence collected at the crime scenes to identify the killer.

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On February 21st, 2001, 22-year-old Ashley Ellerin was stabbed to death in her Los Angeles home. The tabloids covered the murder because actor Ashton Kutcher was set to have a first date with Ashley that night. He ran late at a Grammy's party, and he said that by the time he got to Ashley's house, she didn't answer the door.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murders committed by the Hollywood Ripper. It took some time but Ashley's murder along with several others was tied to a man named Michael Gargiulo. DNA was used to connect Michael to the murders but it took many years for him to be tried and convicted for all of them.

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On September 11, 2001, the United States was rocked by terrorism and terrible loss of life. In the chaos of the day's events, a murder and a disappearance unfolded that remain unsolved. Mystery surrounds both cases.

Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murder of Henryk Siwiak and the disappearance of Dr. Sneha Ann Phillip. Henry was a Polish immigrant working hard to feed himself and send money back home to his family in Poland. He was shot and killed while on his way to a cleaning job. Dr Sneha Ann Phillip disappeared overnight on the 10th or during the day on the 11th. Her disappearance is shrouded in mystery. Did she run to the scene of the chaos to try to help, or did something sinister happen to her?

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