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Rod Matthews: The Classmate Killer Who Sought to Feel the Thrill of Murder
Rod Matthews was a seemingly typical 14-year-old boy living in Canton, Massachusetts, in 1986. However, beneath the surface of his suburban life lurked a chilling curiosity: he wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone. His victim? A fellow classmate, Sean Ouillette.

The Build-Up to Murder
Rod Matthews wasn’t your average teenager. Classmates described him as quiet, but he had a dark obsession with violent movies and crime stories. As his fascination grew, so did his urge to commit a heinous act. Matthews allegedly told friends that he wanted to kill someone to see how it felt.

Sean Ouillette, a kind-hearted 14-year-old, had no idea that his invitation to hang out with Matthews on November 20, 1986, would be a fatal mistake. Lured into the woods near Matthews' home, Ouillette was brutally beaten to death with a baseball bat.

The Investigation
When Sean didn’t return home, his parents reported him missing. Days later, a search party found his body in the woods. The evidence pointed to Matthews, whose friends later admitted that he had confessed to the murder. The chilling part? Matthews seemed disturbingly calm when recounting the crime.

Trial and Conviction
Rod Matthews was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Despite his young age, he was tried as an adult and convicted. In 1987, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Matthews has sought parole multiple times, but the nature of his crime and his lack of remorse kept him behind bars for 37 years. In 2024 when Rod was released at the age of 51.

The Psychology Behind the Crime
Matthews’ case is a stark reminder of how untreated mental health issues and violent obsessions can lead to tragedy. Experts who reviewed the case noted that Matthews exhibited signs of psychopathy, including a lack of empathy and a fascination with violence.

The Legacy of Sean Ouillette
Sean Ouillette’s murder shocked the nation and left a lasting impact on the small community of Canton. His family has worked tirelessly to keep his memory alive, advocating for victims' rights and harsher penalties for juvenile offenders who commit heinous crimes.

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The Edmonton New Year’s Nightmare: Phu Lam’s Bloody Massacre
On New Year’s Day 2014, the city of Edmonton, Alberta, was rocked by one of the most horrifying mass murders in Canadian history. Phu Lam, a 59-year-old man, killed eight people, including his wife and young son, before taking his own life. This shocking act of violence left a lasting scar on the community and raised many questions about the man behind the massacre and the events that led to such a tragic outcome.

The Victims
Phu Lam’s rampage claimed the lives of:

• Thuy Tien Truong, Lam’s estranged wife, 35 years old
• Elvis Lam, their 8-year-old son
• Thanh Ha Thi Truong, Tien’s sister, 33 years old
• Valentina Nguyen, Ha’s daughter, 3years old
• Van Dang Truong, Father of Thuy Tien and Ha Truong, 55 years old
• Thi Dau Le, Mother of Tien, 55 years old
• Viet Nguyen, Tien’s new boyfriend, 41 years old

After carrying out the murders, Lam drove to another residence in Edmonton; the home of David Lu and his wife Cyndi Duong. Cyndi, the daughter of one of Phu Lam’s enemies, he shot and killed her when her father wasn’t at her home.

The Crime
Phu Lam began his killing spree at the home he once shared with his wife and her family. Armed with a stolen handgun, he methodically targeted his estranged wife and members of her extended family. Most of the victims were found in their beds, suggesting that they were attacked while sleeping and unable to defend themselves.

After committing these heinous acts, Lam drove to the residence of Cyndi Duong where he killed her in front of her children. It is believed to be retribution for a decades-old feud with Duong’s father. Finally, he drove to a Vietnamese restaurant owned by his former common-law wife, where he was working as a maintenance man servicing equipment in her kitchen at the time. Then, using the same gun to take his own life, and was later discovered by police.

Impact on the Community

The Phu Lam murders left the Edmonton community in shock and mourning. Candles and flowers lined the sidewalks near the crime scenes, as neighbors and friends struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the tragedy. Authorities highlighted the importance of addressing domestic violence and mental health issues to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Remembering the Victims
In the wake of the Edmonton mass murder of 2014, friends and community members focused on honoring the victims rather than the perpetrator. The families were described as kind, hardworking, and deeply connected to their community. Little Elvis, at just eight years old, was remembered for being a quiet and kind student. Valentina was only three. Phu Lam and Tien Truong’s one year old daughter was spared, as was Ha’s eight-month-old baby.

IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW IS EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC ABUSE, PLEASE CALL 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) OR TEXT "START" TO 88788.

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Christmas is supposed to be a season of joy, family gatherings, and celebration, but in 2007, the holiday took a grim turn for Jack and Elaine Denney of Locust Grove, Oklahoma. The couple, beloved in their tight-knit community, were brutally murdered in their home on December 23rd. What was once a quiet holiday in Cherokee County became a nightmare that sent shockwaves across the state—and left family and friends searching for answers.

Jack and Elaine Denney, both in their 60s, were known for their kindness and generosity. Jack, a supervisor of mechanical maintenance for the Grand River Dam Authority, and Elaine, a devoted homemaker, had been pillars of their community for years. The thought of anyone harming them was unthinkable. Yet, in the darkness of December 23, their lives were snuffed out in a crime so brutal it shocked seasoned investigators.

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The holiday season of 1987 in Russellville, Arkansas, should have been a time of joy and family togetherness. Instead, it became the setting for one of the most shocking family massacres in U.S. history, orchestrated by Harold Gene Simmons Sr. Over the course of several days, Simmons murdered 16 people, 14 of whom were his own family members, in a calculated spree that left a small town reeling and the nation horrified.

On December 22, 1987, Simmons set his murderous plan into motion. He began by killing his wife, Rebecca, and eldest son, Gene Jr., in their home. He then fatally strangled Gene Jr.'s daughter, his three-year-old granddaughter, Barbara before disposing  their bodies in a cesspit he had his children dig earlier on the property.
Then he waited for four of his children to come home from school. When they arrived, one by one, he strangled and drowned them in a rain barrel outside their home.

When the other family members arrived for the Christmas holiday on December 26th, Simmons systematically executed them along with their spouses and children, using a variety of methods including strangulation and shooting. Simmons ensured that no one was left alive to escape or call for help.

After annihilating his family, Simmons did not stop. On December 28, he drove to Russellville, Arkansas and targeted former coworkers and acquaintances he believed had wronged him. He killed two and injured four others in a cold-blooded rampage before calmly surrendering to police.

The sheer brutality of Simmons' crimes stunned the nation. In total, he had murdered 16 people, making it one of the deadliest familial massacres in U.S. history. Simmons showed no remorse during his trial and even requested to waive his appeals. He was convicted and sentenced to death, and on June 25, 1990, he was executed by lethal injection at the Arkansas State Penitentiary.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, there is help available. Reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org for confidential support.

For more true crime stories like this one, listen to Hitched 2 Homicide on your favorite podcast platform.

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Thanksgiving. A time for gratitude, family bonding, and epic overeating. But in 2006, the Keller Plaza apartments in Oakland, California, became the stage for a gruesome act of revenge that no amount of gravy could smooth over. Enter Asmerom Gebreselassie, a man whose holiday spirit leaned more toward "killjoy" than "cornbread joy."

A Recipe for Catastrophe
Asmerom Gebreselassie, 47, and his brother Tewodros, 43, didn’t exactly bring pumpkin pie to the family gathering that fateful day. Instead, they arrived with a heap of unfounded suspicions and a deadly plan. The brothers were convinced—without a shred of evidence—that their sister-in-law, Winta Mehari, was responsible for the death of their brother, Abraham Tewolde, earlier that year. Medical experts had already ruled it a natural death, but logic didn’t make it onto their Thanksgiving menu.

Denied an invitation (because threatening people tends to get you booted from the guest list), Asmerom cooked up a sinister plan. Tewodros, the “friendlier” brother, used his rapport with the Mehari family to gain entry to the apartment. Once inside, he called his big brother to crash the feast—and not in the fun “surprise, I brought wine” way.

When the Turkey Turned Cold
Asmerom arrived, and the scene quickly turned from awkward family tension to unthinkable horror. Armed and dangerous, he opened fire, killing Winta Mehari (28), her brother Yonas Mehari (17), and their mother Regbe Bahrengasi (50). This wasn't a crime of passion; it was cold, calculated vengeance served with a side of cruelty. The once festive gathering was reduced to chaos, tears, and shattered lives.

The Aftermath: A Cold Serving of Justice
The Gebreselassie brothers were arrested and charged with first-degree murder, among other offenses. Their trial in 2011 was as dramatic as a courtroom drama binge on Netflix. Asmerom fired his lawyers, represented himself (badly), and frequently lashed out at the judge. If courtroom antics earned points, Asmerom would’ve scored big; instead, he earned a lifetime supply of prison sentences.

After nearly seven years of delays, a jury found the brothers guilty. Asmerom was sentenced to three consecutive life terms without parole, plus an extra life sentence and another 132 years (just in case). Tewodros wasn’t far behind, receiving a similarly hefty punishment. 

A Community Carved in Two
Oakland’s tight-knit Eritrean community was left devastated. Some sided with the brothers, seeing them as victims of systemic injustice, while others rallied behind the Mehari family. The courtroom, packed during the trial, became a powder keg of grief, anger, and divided loyalties. 

Asmerom’s Encore of Defiance
True to form, Asmerom ended his trial with a dramatic flair. At sentencing, he lashed out at the judge, calling him “criminal” and “evil,” before being forcibly removed. Even behind bars, his defiance remained unshaken—but it’s hard to keep up a vendetta when you’re serving three life sentences.

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Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and celebration, but in Chester, Virginia, on November 23, 2017, it turned into a nightmare. Christopher Gattis, a 58-year-old youth pastor, committed an unthinkable act: he murdered his wife, stepdaughter, and her boyfriend, turning a holiday of joy into a story of heartbreak.

To the outside world, Chris Gattis seemed like a respectable man. He worked as a youth pastor at Grace Lutheran Church and was known in the community as calm and devout. But behind the closed doors of his home, there were deep-rooted tensions that no one fully realized—until it was too late.

The Victims
Gattis' victims were the people closest to him:
- Jeanett Gattis (58): His wife, known for her warmth and kindness.
- Candice (Candy) Kunze (30): His stepdaughter, full of life and love for her family.
- Andrew Buthorn (36): Candice’s boyfriend, who had traveled from Oregon to spend Thanksgiving with the Gattis family.

What Happened That Night?
Thanksgiving evening should have been a time for laughter and leftovers, but at the Gattis home on Dogwood Ridge Court, an argument erupted. Though the exact details remain unclear, it’s known that the conflict centered on long-standing tensions between Christopher and his stepdaughter, Candy, as well as her boyfriend, Andrew.

As the argument escalated, Gattis retrieved a .45 caliber handgun. He shot his wife, Jeanett, and stepdaughter inside the home. Andrew tried to escape but was gunned down just outside, in the front yard. Neighbors heard the gunshots, but Chris called the authorities—not 911, but his alarm company. When police arrived, they found Chris Gattis calmly waiting on the porch. He was arrested on the spot.

Why Did It Happen?
There had been friction between Chris and Candy. Gattis reportedly disapproved of the couple staying in his home. These tensions came to a boiling point that Thanksgiving night, resulting in unimaginable violence.

What Happened to Chris Gattis?
Christ Gattis was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. A year later, in November 2018, he pled guilty to all charges. The court sentenced him to 58 years of which he’s required by the state of Virginia to serve 85% of the time. He will be 109 before he’s eligible for parole.

How Did the Community React?
The murders stunned the Chester community and left members of Grace Lutheran Church grappling with how someone they trusted could commit such horrific acts. 

A Sobering Reminder
The Gattis case is a chilling example of how unresolved family tensions can turn deadly. Domestic violence isn’t always obvious, and even households that seem stable can hide serious issues.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org. No one should have to face such pain alone.

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On January 16, 1984, a young family was found brutally murdered in their Aurora, Colorado home. Patricia Smith, a 50-year-old mother and grandmother, had been bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Days later, on January 19, an even more horrifying scene was discovered in Lakewood, Colorado, where Bruce, Debra, and Melissa Bennett were murdered in their family home. Bruce and Debra were found bludgeoned to death with a hammer, and 7-year-old Melissa was also killed in the attack. Only 3-year-old Vanessa Bennett survived, albeit with severe injuries.

The murders bore the same signature style — the brutal use of a hammer and intense violence. Investigators suspected they were dealing with the same killer, but despite exhaustive efforts, the case went cold for decades. The "Hammer Killer" was nowhere to be found. Until he was. Don't miss this episode of Hitched 2 Homicide where families finally have closure and justice.

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The Deadly Obsession of Christa Pike: The Devil in the Details
Born on March 10, 1976, Christa Pike grew up with a difficult family life. Her troubled upbringing involved abuse, neglect, and struggles with mental health—factors that, while tragic, would never justify the choices she made as a young woman. By her late teens, Christa found herself at Job Corps, a program designed to help troubled young adults get back on track by providing them with education and training. Here, she met and quickly fell for 17-year-old Tadaryl Shipp, a charismatic young man who would become more than just a boyfriend. Together, they would ignite a deadly obsession.

The Backstory: Love, Obsession, and Dark Beliefs
Christa Pike and Tadaryl Shipp’s relationship was intense and volatile. They were both drawn to the occult, dabbling in devil worship and dark rituals, something that set them apart and fed their shared intensity. Pike’s obsession with Shipp was fierce, almost possessive, and she was jealous of anyone she thought might interfere. | One person, in particular, fueled Christa’s jealousy: Colleen Slemmer. Colleen, a fellow Job Corps student, had reportedly irritated Christa with minor slights. Pike became convinced that Colleen was trying to seduce Tadaryl, a suspicion that spiraled quickly in her mind. 

The Crime: A Night of Horror
On January 12, 1995, Christa Pike, Tadaryl Shipp, and a mutual friend named Shadolla Peterson lured Colleen Slemmer into a secluded, wooded area on the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus in Knoxville. Colleen thought they were going for a walk, perhaps to resolve whatever tension had built up between them. But what awaited her was no peace talk—it was a nightmare. | For the next thirty minutes, Colleen endured torture at the hands of Christa and Tadaryl. Christa Pike smashed Colleen’s skull with a large chunk of asphalt, ultimately killing her. But Pike wasn’t finished. As a final, chilling souvenir, she kept a piece of Colleen’s skull, carrying it with her as if it were a trophy of her conquest.

The Aftermath: An Unraveled Crime
Christa Pike’s arrogance proved to be her undoing. Bragging about the murder to friends, she showed off the fragment of Colleen’s skull as though it were a badge of honor. News of her boasting quickly spread through the Job Corps community and reached the ears of authorities. Within 36 hours, Christa Pike and Tadaryl Shipp were arrested. | During questioning, Pike showed no remorse, relaying the horrific details of the murder with chilling indifference. The physical evidence against her was overwhelming, including Colleen’s blood on her clothes and the skull fragment she had so brazenly kept as a memento. | In 1996, Christa Pike was found guilty of first-degree murder. The court, clearly appalled by the brutality of the crime, sentenced her to death. She was just 20 years old, making her the youngest woman on death row in the United States at the time.

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The Liske family seemed, on the surface, like any other. William Liske Sr. lived with his wife, Susan Liske, and her two sons, Derek and Devon, in a comfortable home nestled in the rural stretches of Oak Harbor, Ohio. But underneath this facade lay a brewing tension, especially between BJ and his step-mother. BJ’s relationship with his family was strained, complicated by years of mental health struggles, previous altercations, and brushes with the law. Though BJ was no stranger to conflict, no one could have foreseen the murder of his father, stepmother and stepbrother on Halloween morning.

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The Chilling Halloween Night Murder of Peter Fabiano
Halloween night is supposed to be a time for tricks, treats, and innocent fun. But on October 31, 1957, one seemingly routine knock on the door in Los Angeles turned into a real-life nightmare. Peter Fabiano, a husband, father, and owner of a successful beauty salon, opened his door that evening, unaware that what awaited him wasn’t a typical trick-or-treater, but cold-blooded murder.

The Night of the Crime
It was just past 11 PM when Fabiano’s wife, Betty, heard the knock at their door. Peter answered, expecting late-night trick-or-treaters. Instead, a figure stood at the door dressed in a mask, aiming a paper bag toward him. Without warning, a shot rang out. Peter collapsed, and his life was over in an instant. The shooter fled into the night, leaving behind a shocked neighborhood and a grieving wife.

A Case of Jealousy and Deception
It wasn’t long before investigators began to uncover a tangled web of secrets, betrayal, and forbidden love. Betty Fabiano revealed to police that her husband had a falling out with a woman named Joan Rabel, a photographer with a peculiar interest in their marriage.

As detectives dug deeper, they discovered that Rabel harbored romantic feelings for Betty and was intensely jealous of Peter’s role in her life. Rabel recruited her friend, a troubled woman named Goldeen Pizer, to carry out the murder. Pizer, captivated by Rabel’s manipulation, agreed to pull the trigger. On that fateful night, Pizer donned the disguise of a trick-or-treater and shot Peter Fabiano at point-blank range.

Justice for Peter Fabiano

The case shocked Los Angeles, not only for the brutal nature of the crime but also for the motive behind it—a twisted love triangle culminating in murder. Both Rabel and Pizer were eventually caught and confessed to their roles in the killing. In 1958, they were convicted of second-degree murder, with both women sentenced to prison.

To this day, Peter Fabiano’s murder serves as a reminder of how jealousy, manipulation, and obsession can spiral into unimaginable violence.

If you're fascinated by true crime stories like this, be sure to listen to our latest episode of Hitched 2 Homicide, where we delve even deeper into the plans of Joan Rabel to win back the affections of Betty Fabiano.

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