Welcome to the first ever Johnny on the spot! Rob takes control of the mike for a very short dose of Darwin award. If you enjoy this, and think we should do it more, please let us know!

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl dives into the horrifying case of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. — the Golden State Killer. A former police officer turned serial predator, DeAngelo terrorized California from 1974 to 1986 with a spree of violence that included at least 13 murders, 51 rapes, and over 100 burglaries. But some victims survived — and their courage helped bring this monster to justice. Cheryl shares a few of their stories in this chilling, unforgettable episode.

Then Rob delivers a karmic two-for-one in Darwin Award chaos. First: why stealing is still a bad idea. And second: why messing with snakes always ends badly for Johnny. Always.

🦹‍♂️ A killer hiding behind a badge

💪 Survivors who spoke out and stood tall

🐍 Snakes, karma, and bad decisions (as always)

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl takes a different approach. It’s not a survival story — it’s a mystery: Did they survive?

In 1962, Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin pulled off one of the most daring prison breaks in history — escaping from Alcatraz and disappearing into the icy waters of the San Francisco Bay. Were they swept away by the current, or did they manage to vanish into freedom? Cheryl walks you through the escape, the FBI investigation, and the lingering clues. You decide.

Then Rob lightens the mood with cartoon-level Darwin Award winners and a reminder that if you’re planning to flee the police… maybe learn to drive stick first.

🚔 One of history’s greatest unsolved escapes

🌊 Did they drown — or disappear?

🤦‍♂️ Stick shift fails and Darwin-level disasters

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl dives into one of the deadliest survival-adjacent stories in recorded history — the tale of the Champawat tiger, a female Bengal tiger responsible for over 400 human deaths across Nepal and India in the early 1900s. Villagers lived in terror until legendary hunter Jim Corbett stepped in. Hear how this terrifying creature was finally stopped… and the legacy it left behind.

Then Rob experiments with a new book for his Darwin Award research. The results? Chaotic, ridiculous, and deeply on brand. From bizarre logic to almost-believable fatal failures, this week’s Darwins are… well, something else.

🐅 A tiger with a kill count that rivals history’s worst

📚 Rob reads. Rob regrets. We laugh.

🔥 Another week of survival and stupidit

Happy Easter from Dead or Survive! 🐣

This week, Cheryl brings the Hollywood heat with real-life survival stories from actors who almost didn’t make it off the set. From Johnny Depp’s mid-air horse disaster, to Uma Thurman’s terrifying car crash, to Jackie Chan literally cracking his skull — these stars stared down death and kept rolling.

Then Rob wraps up with Darwin Award winners who seriously underestimated water... and snakes. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned: nature and stupidity don’t mix.

🎬 Death-defying stunts gone wrong

🐍 Snakes and slippery situations

🥚 And a little Easter love from your favorite chaotic duo

In October 1987, the world stood still for 58 hours as Baby Jessica McClure was trapped 22 feet below ground in a narrow well in Midland, Texas. It was one of the first true “live” rescue stories, with CNN’s 24/7 coverage making Jessica “everybody’s baby.” Cheryl recounts the tension, triumph, and human determination behind one of the most gripping rescues in modern history.

Then Rob takes a walk on the wild side with animal-inflicted Darwin Awards — including a man who literally tried to bite a fish to death, and another who poached an endangered fish only to become extinct himself.

🍼 One baby girl united a nation

🐟 One fish refused to be dinner

🎙️ From underground miracles to underwater mayhem

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl tells the powerful and heartbreaking story of Holly K. Dunn — the only known survivor of the infamous Railroad Killer, Ángel Maturino Reséndiz. After witnessing her boyfriend brutally murdered in front of her, Holly was left beaten, stabbed, and left for dead beside the tracks. But she survived. And what she did with her second chance at life is nothing short of extraordinary.

Then Rob... runs into a wall. Literally. His Darwin Award segment features people who tested the limits of physics, architecture, and logic — and didn’t come out on top.

🚂 A killer rides the rails.

💔 A survivor finds her strength.

🧱 And Rob proves that walls always win.

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl recounts the incredible Cold War survival story of Lieutenant David Steeves. After his military jet crashed deep in California’s rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains, Steeves was presumed dead. But 54 days later, he reappeared with a tale of ice, starvation, injury, and relentless survival across King's Canyon and Sequoia National Park. What really happened out there? You’ll find out.

Then Rob gives Johnny the week off and brings in a rare Jessica for a head-scratching Darwin Award story. But don’t worry—there’s still a healthy dose of absurdity, including a tragic end involving one of Cheryl’s favorite things: a golf cart.

🛩️ A Cold War crash becomes a 54-day survival epic

🚗 When fun on four wheels turns fatal

🎙️ A wild mix of mystery, grit, and golf carts

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the unbelievable survival story of Mauro Prosperi. While competing in the grueling Marathon des Sables, Mauro became disoriented during a sandstorm and veered over 180 miles off course into the heart of the Sahara Desert. With no help in sight, he resorted to drinking his own urine, eating bats, and relying on sheer willpower to stay alive. His story is one of endurance, desperation, and brutal beauty.

Then Rob whisks us off to Russia with a few tales that make you ask, why? From a man who thought he could stop trains with his mind to a thief who seriously underestimated a group of angry pensioners — it’s Darwin Award mayhem with a cold vodka twist.

🏃 A race for survival in the unforgiving Sahara

🦇 Bats, urine, and grit

🇷🇺 Russia delivers the weird (again)

We’ve officially hit 50 episodes! Thank you to all our amazing listeners—your support means the world. 🎉 And yes, we announce the winner of our Yeti giveaway on this episode!

This week, Cheryl dives into the haunting true story of the Stayner family. In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was abducted and held captive for over seven years. His eventual escape and heroic rescue of another kidnapped child made national headlines. But while Steven found his way back to his family, his older brother Cary took a much darker path—one that led to a string of brutal murders in Yosemite.

Then Rob wraps things up with another batch of baffling Darwin Award winners—proving once again that human behavior never ceases to amaze… or confuse.

👦 One brother defied evil.

🪓 The other became it.

🎁 And someone’s walking away with a brand-new Yeti.