On Halloween night in 1974, eight-year-old Timothy O’Brien came home from trick-or-treating in Deer Park, Texas, excited to sample his candy haul. Among the treats was a Pixy Stix — one that would become infamous in American true crime history. Within hours, Timothy was dead, poisoned by cyanide.

Investigators soon discovered that the killer wasn’t a mysterious stranger slipping poison into Halloween candy. It was someone much closer to home — his own father, Ronald Clark O’Brien. His crime forever changed the way parents across the United States viewed Halloween, giving rise to decades of fear over tampered sweets.

Read collections of The Evidence Locker Files, available in print and digital editions.

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In 1974, 'Candyman' turned Halloween truly terrifying in Pasadena, Texas - ABC13 Houston

The Man Who Killed Halloween - Fort Worth Weekly

'Man Who Killed Halloween' still haunts holiday - Houston Chronicle

The Haunting Legacy of Ronald Clark O'Bryan, the Man Who Killed Halloween - A&E True Crime

50 years ago, a Houston killer dubbed the 'Candyman' poisoned his son's Halloween candy - KHOU

Looking into the eyes of evil: The day I covered the execution of Texas' infamous Halloween killer - Breckenridge Texan

The True Story of the Notorious Trick-or-Treat Murderer - Vice

Halloween Horrors: The Poisoning of Timothy O'Bryan - Criminal

The ex-wife of Ronald Clark O'Bryan - UPI Archives

The neighbor who accompanied condemned killer Ronald Clark O'Bryan - UPI Archives

Ronald Clark O'Bryan - Wikipedia

Timothy Marc O'Bryan - Find a Grave Memorial

Ronald Clark O'Bryan - Murderpedia

Ronald Clark O'Bryan - Alchetron

1984: Ronald Clark O'Bryan, candyman - Executed Today

THE CASE OF THE HALLOWEEN CANDY KILLER - Harris County District Clerk

Ronald Clark O'Bryan Murder Trial (1975) - KPRC-TV Collection

For nearly two decades, a nondescript farm outside Pretoria was the epicenter of South Africa’s most covert and brutal campaign of state-sponsored terror. Known as Vlakplaas, it served as headquarters for a police death squad targeting anti-Apartheid activists. Under the leadership of Colonel Dirk Coetzee and later Eugene de Kock – dubbed “Prime Evil” – Vlakplaas was responsible for countless abductions, torture, and murders masked by secrecy and political protection.

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25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network - solving international cold cases. To learn more, visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

Resources

Know more about Vlakplaas where Prime Evil operated

The gruesome truth behind Vlakplaas and Eugene de Kock

TRC – Final Report – Volume 2

State v Wouter Basson

Wikipedia

Foundation for Human Rights - Nokuthula Simelane 

Lothar Neethling

The odd couple: why an Apartheid activist joined forces with a murderer

Vlakplaas and the history of Apartheid’s Death Squad

Olof Palme assassination: The South African connection

Anna Anton thought she'd found safety in small-town Nebraska, living below a police officer who had sworn to protect and serve. Instead, she became the victim of the very person she trusted most. In this episode, we uncover the shocking betrayal that shattered the peace of Lyons, Nebraska, and explore how one man's abuse of power led to a seven-year international manhunt.

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Want to support our podcast? Visit our page at Patreon

25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network - solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

Unsolved Mysteries Season 2, Episode 4

Find a Grave Memorial

Flatwater Free Press investigative report

Nebraska Public Media coverage

In the 1980s, the MS Viking Sally ferry became synonymous with tragedy and terror on the Baltic Sea. What began as a luxurious passenger vessel soon earned a sinister reputation when two brutal murders occurred on board just one year apart—in 1986 and 1987. The ship that was meant to provide safe passage between Finland and Sweden instead became the scene of unspeakable violence, earning it the nickname "the cursed ship." But the Viking Sally's dark legacy didn't end there. 

The vessel would later be renamed the MS Estonia and become the site of one of Europe's worst maritime disasters, claiming 855 lives in 1994. In this episode, we explore the chilling murders that haunted the Baltic waters, the botched investigations that followed, and the tragic fate of a ship that seemed destined for disaster from the very beginning.

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25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network - solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

1987 Viking Sally murder - Wikipedia

Murder on the Upper Deck - ForenSeek

Finnish News Coverage - Aamulehti

Court dismisses charges in Viking Sally murder case - Yle

Finland: Dane acquitted of 1987 ferry attack on backpackers - AP News

Danish man on trial in Finland for 1987 ferry attack - Reuters

The Curse of the Viking Sally - Atlas Obscura

Cursed Ship. The Sinking of the 'Estonia' - Medium

Ireland’s Vanishing Triangle is an area around Dublin from where multiple women have mysteriously vanished in the 1990s. Most of the cases have the same characteristics and remain unsolved. Were they taken by a serial killer? Irish Police created Operation Trace in 1998 to actively solve the disappearances but have not been able to do so. A €10,000 reward has been offered for information resulting in the recovery of a body, as it is presumed that the victims are no longer alive.

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25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network -- solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

The Disappearance of Annie McCarrick

Wikipedia – Ireland’s Vanishing Triangle

Wikipedia – Deidre Jacob

Wikipedia – Jojo Dullard

Garda.ie – Eva Brennan

Gardie.ie – Annie McCarrick

Cliff’s Edge

Beyond the Vanishing Triangle - catching a killer

Paul Williams: How Larry Murphy became the prime suspect in case of missing Deirdre

Between September 2003 and July 2004, Seoul was terrorized by one of the most brutal serial killers in Korean history. Yoo Young-chul, known as the "Raincoat Killer," murdered at least 20 people in a shocking spree that exposed deep social inequalities and reignited debates about capital punishment. In this episode, we delve into the chilling details of his crimes, examine the psychological factors that drove him to kill, and explore how his case continues to influence Korean society today.

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25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network -- solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea (Netflix, 2021)

Yoo Young-chul - Wikipedia

Korea Herald - Serial Killer Coverage

All That's Interesting - Yoo Young-chul Profile

Esquire - Where Is Yoo Young-chul Now?

Simply Forensic - The Brutal South Korean Raincoat Killer

The Korea Herald - Korean serial killer 'haunted by victims' ghosts' in prison

On the night of April 11, 1981, the quiet mountain resort town of Keddie, California, became the scene of one of the most brutal and mysterious murders in American history. Four members of the Sharp family—Sue, Johnny, Dana, and twelve-year-old Tina—were victims of a horrific attack that left three dead and one missing. Despite decades of investigation, the case remains officially unsolved, though recent developments have shed new light on the crimes. In this episode, we explore the devastating night that changed everything, the botched investigation that followed, and the ongoing quest for justice that continues to this day.

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Want to support our podcast? Visit our page at Patreon

25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network -- solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

Resources

Documentaries

Cabin 28: Keddie Murders

Unsolved: The Disturbing Murders at Keddie

Unsolved CA: The Keddie Murders (ABC10)

Who Killed Four People in Keddie 35 Years Ago? (CBS News Sacramento)

Web

Wikipedia

Articles

Keddie murders revisited – following the clues

The Keddie cabin murders: Inside the grisly quadruple homicide that still haunts California

In February 2000, professional travel writer Claudia Kirschhoch arrived at Sandals Beaches Resort in Jamaica to resolve a simple visa issue. She was organized, experienced, and living her dream life exploring the world through her writing. But what began as a routine travel complication quickly spiraled into one of the most baffling missing persons cases in recent memory. More than two decades later, her disappearance still haunts those left behind, raising disturbing questions about evidence tampering, institutional failures, and the vulnerability of solo travelers. In this episode, we examine the mysterious circumstances surrounding Claudia's vanishing and explore why no one has ever been held accountable.

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For more information, visit Evidence Locker Website

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25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network -- solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

Unsolved Mysteries

The Charley Project

Missing Astoria woman’s scent discovered in suspect’s trunk

Missing travel writer declared legally dead

Kirschhoch’s dad satisfied with police probe

In the spring of 1989, Vienna's Lainz Hospital seemed like any other medical facility caring for the elderly and infirm. The sprawling complex, with its long corridors and sterile rooms, housed hundreds of patients requiring constant care. But behind its institutional facade, something sinister was taking place on the night shift. Four nurses, who would later be dubbed the "Angels of Death," had been systematically killing patients for years.

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25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network – solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

Deadly Women - Revenge

Unimaginable Serial Murder: The Angels of Death of Lainz

Die Todesengel von Lainz

Murderpedia

Wikipedia

70th Anniversary of Lainz Hospital

Killing of 49 Patients By 4 Nurse's Aides Stuns the Austrians

Lainz murders: "Now it's over for the Black Forest Clinic"

Waltraud, I still need a bed

Medical Murder Club

In late December 1992, Brazil was shaken by the tragic and untimely death of 22-year-old actress and dancer Daniella Perez. Known for her role as Yasmin Bianchi in the popular telenovela "De Corpo e Alma," Daniella was brutally murdered by her co-star, Guilherme de Pádua, and his wife, Paula Thomaz. This heinous act not only ended a promising young life but also exposed the darker side of fame and obsession within the entertainment industry.

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For more information, visit Evidence Locker Website

Want to support our podcast? Visit our page at Patreon

25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network – solving international cold cases. To learn more about it visit their website at: https://www.doenetwork.org/

A Brutal Pact: The Murder of Daniella Perez (Pacto Brutal) – HBO Max (2022)

Wikipedia

Guilherme De Pádua’s Sick Ambition and Psychopathy: Remember The Daniella Perez Case

Raul Gazolla says HBO Max series "killed Guilherme de Pádua"

Glória Perez will appeal against decision that helped Pádua

The Daniella Perez Case: 30 Years Later

De Corpo e Alma Theme Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIeOe81tVIQ&t=27s 

 This True Crime Podcast was researched using open-source or archive materials.