Cyanide is a poison that has captured our imagination in mysteries and spy novels, but the danger is all too real. In this episode we'll talk a bit about how the poison works and how it has been used in several prominent true crime cases.

Kitty Genovese was a young, bright, charismatic woman with a promising future ahead of her. While living in New York City with her girlfriend, she had dreams of opening a family style Italian restaurant. However, those dreams were snuffed when she was brutally murdered just steps from her front door. Kitty's murder, while not directly responsible for the creation of the 911 system, did contribute to its development and the broader discussion about bystander intervention. Listen now to hear how her unfortunate murder paved the way for the 911 EMS across North America.

Anna Marie Hahn at first glance seems like an angel. She rained her affections on her elderly acquaintances in 1930s Cincinnati. But her sweetness came with a price that multiple people would pay over the course of the decade. Anna was no angel, when it came down to it, she was a devil who cruelly used poison as her M.O. and stole everything of value from her victims.

On July 29th, 2023, O'Shae Sibley, a 28-year-old dancer and choreographer, and his friends were celebrating Queer Black Excellence by dancing together in a Mobil gas station parking lot. However, what was a joyous occasion quickly turned violent and deadly when the group of friends were approached by a group of homophobic and racist teens. This episode was recorded during pride month and on Juneteenth - O'Shae's murder is a reminder that even during times of celebrations, we still need to fight for our rights.

June is LGBT+ Pride Month and we're kicking it off by remembering one of the giants of the Gay Rights Movement: Harvey Milk. He was the first openly gay politician elected in the United States and paved the way for other members of the queer community to not only be out and living their lives as their true selves, but leading in a world that can be hostile to their existence.

In January of 1996, 9-year-old Amber Hagerman went on a bike ride with her brother around her neighborhood in Arlington, Texas, but she never returned. Amber's tragic abduction and murder, however, inspired a national response system for missing children that has reunited more than a thousand children with their families thanks to public awareness. The AMBER Alert is a tribute to her in the hopes that one day no child will go missing again.

In the 1890s, Victorian London was just getting over the terrible Jack the Ripper murders, but just a few years after the terrible crimes a new villain roamed the streets to terrorize the city's sex workers: the Lambeth Poisoner.

Vincent Chin was a thriving business man living in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, USA. With the auto industry booming due to foreign parts and models being shipped in from overseas, some Americans felt that Asian companies were to blame. Vincent unfortunately was a victim due to this. Listen now to hear the tragic and unfortunate fate Vincent had, due to racism and economical turmoil.

On November 27, 1928 in the quiet small town of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania Nelson Rehmeyer welcomed three guests into his home including his former farmhand. However, this was no friendly visit. Each man accused Rehmeyer of putting a hex on them and they wanted it lifted by any means necessary.

Andrea Yates: One of the most well known trial where a perpetrator was found not guilty by reasoning of insanity rocked US headlines for years. Join Patrick for a brief overview of her trial and a glimpse into how this method of defense is viewed by the world's public. **Disclaimer: The audio is poor. Please forgive us this week! :)