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The Unsolved Mystery of Jeanette DePalma: Why Her Death Should Be Reopened
In 1972, the lifeless body of 16-year-old Jeanette DePalma was discovered on a cliff in Springfield, New Jersey known as the Devil's Teeth. Found after a local dog returned home with a decomposed forearm, her death has remained one of the most chilling mysteries of Union County. Declared a "suspicious death," the case has sparked widespread speculation of cult rituals, satanic panic, and foul play. Yet, despite decades of whispers and mounting evidence suggesting homicide, Jeanette’s death remains unsolved. It’s time to revisit her case with the tools of modern forensic science and the urgency that justice demands.

Call to Action
As true crime enthusiasts and advocates for justice, we must lend our voices to Jeanette’s story. Go to Justice for Jeannette. https://justiceforjeannette.com/ OR https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-jeannette-depalma-change-her-death-from-a-suspicious-death-to-a-homicide to sign the petition for Jeanette's case to be changed from suspicious death to homicide in order for it to be reopened.

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The Butcher, Baker, and Nightmare Maker of Alaska: The Chilling Case of Robert Hansen Part Two of Two
For over a decade, the frozen wilderness of Alaska served as the haunting backdrop to one of the most sinister crime sprees in modern history. Robert Hansen, infamously dubbed the "Butcher Baker," lived a double life as a mild-mannered baker and a sadistic predator. Between 1971 and 1983, Hansen raped 30 and murdered at least 17 women, forever etching his name in the annals of true crime infamy.

The Early Years of a Predator
Born in Estherville, Iowa, in 1939, Hansen endured a turbulent childhood marked by severe acne and a debilitating stutter. These insecurities led to social isolation, breeding resentment toward women who, he claimed, ridiculed and rejected him. As a young adult, he found solace in two things: hunting and his deepening fantasies of dominance and revenge.

From Baker to Monster
Hansen moved to Anchorage, Alaska, in the late 1960s, where he established himself as a successful baker and a family man. Beneath the façade, however, lurked a methodical killer. Hansen would frequent Anchorage’s red-light district, luring sex workers and exotic dancers with promises of money or gifts. Once they were in his control, he subjected them to unspeakable acts of violence.

The Hunting Ground
Hansen’s modus operandi was as chilling as it was unique. After abducting his victims, he would fly them in his private plane to remote locations in the Alaskan wilderness. There, he would set them loose, only to hunt them down like animals. Armed with a rifle and a twisted sense of superiority, Hansen turned the vast, snow-covered terrain into his personal killing field.

The Victims
Though Hansen’s confirmed victims numbered 17, authorities believe the true toll may be much higher. These women were often marginalized individuals—runaways, sex workers, and dancers—whose disappearances were tragically overlooked by society. Their bodies, some found years later, bore the horrifying evidence of Hansen’s sadistic games.

The Fall of the Butcher Baker
Hansen’s reign of terror came to an end in 1983, thanks to the courage of Cindy Paulson, an 18-year-old sex worker who managed to escape his clutches. Paulson’s harrowing account of her abduction and assault gave investigators the breakthrough they needed. A search of Hansen’s home revealed an arsenal of weapons, as well as a hidden map marked with the burial sites of his victims.

Justice Served
In a dramatic courtroom revelation, Hansen confessed to the murders to avoid the death penalty. He was convicted of four murders but admitted to 17, and was sentenced to 461 years plus life in prison without the possibility of parole. He died in prison in 2014 at the age of 75.

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The Butcher, Baker, and Nightmare Maker of Alaska: The Chilling Case of Robert Hansen Part One of Two
For over a decade, the frozen wilderness of Alaska served as the haunting backdrop to one of the most sinister crime sprees in modern history. Robert Hansen, infamously dubbed the "Butcher Baker," lived a double life as a mild-mannered baker and a sadistic predator. Between 1971 and 1983, Hansen raped 30 and murdered at least 17 women, forever etching his name in the annals of true crime infamy.

The Early Years of a Predator
Born in Estherville, Iowa, in 1939, Hansen endured a turbulent childhood marked by severe acne and a debilitating stutter. These insecurities led to social isolation, breeding resentment toward women who, he claimed, ridiculed and rejected him. As a young adult, he found solace in two things: hunting and his deepening fantasies of dominance and revenge.

From Baker to Monster
Hansen moved to Anchorage, Alaska, in the late 1960s, where he established himself as a successful baker and a family man. Beneath the façade, however, lurked a methodical killer. Hansen would frequent Anchorage’s red-light district, luring sex workers and exotic dancers with promises of money or gifts. Once they were in his control, he subjected them to unspeakable acts of violence.

The Hunting Ground
Hansen’s modus operandi was as chilling as it was unique. After abducting his victims, he would fly them in his private plane to remote locations in the Alaskan wilderness. There, he would set them loose, only to hunt them down like animals. Armed with a rifle and a twisted sense of superiority, Hansen turned the vast, snow-covered terrain into his personal killing field.

The Victims
Though Hansen’s confirmed victims numbered 17, authorities believe the true toll may be much higher. These women were often marginalized individuals—runaways, sex workers, and dancers—whose disappearances were tragically overlooked by society. Their bodies, some found years later, bore the horrifying evidence of Hansen’s sadistic games.

The Fall of the Butcher Baker
Hansen’s reign of terror came to an end in 1983, thanks to the courage of Cindy Paulson, an 18-year-old sex worker who managed to escape his clutches. Paulson’s harrowing account of her abduction and assault gave investigators the breakthrough they needed. A search of Hansen’s home revealed an arsenal of weapons, as well as a hidden map marked with the burial sites of his victims.

Justice Served
In a dramatic courtroom revelation, Hansen confessed to the murders to avoid the death penalty. He was convicted of four murders but admitted to 17, and was sentenced to 461 years plus life in prison without the possibility of parole. He died in prison in 2014 at the age of 75.

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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, Shaun 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.

Shaun 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
Shaun 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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