Hostage

Crime never takes a day off, and neither do we. In our new podcast, TODAY IN TRUE CRIME, every day, we flip back the calendar and examine a true crime event from the same date years ago.

In this clip, we look back at August 19th, 1970, when John Norman Collins was convicted of the murder of 21-year-old Karen Sue Beineman. Subscribe to TODAY IN TRUE CRIME for a new story every day!

After their merchant ship, Commerce, was stranded off the Moroccan coast in August 1815, a brave captain decided that they only way to survive was to find help. James Riley would go on to lead his crew through the treacherous Sahara Desert, completely unaware of what their journey would hold.

Parcasters - This week on Unexplained Mysteries we dive into the befuddling Shugborough Inscription, and what it could possibly mean. Can you be the codebreaker? Find out today on Unexplained Mysteries!

After his abduction in 1972, Steven Stayner spent the next eight years hopping around California with his captor, Kenneth Parnell. The rest of his adolescence was a misery, despite being sent to school and having relative freedom under his new name, Dennis. But in 1980, Kenneth would sink to a new low that would finally give Steven the courage to escape.

Sponsors!

Native - For 20% off your first purchase, visit NativeDeodorant.com and use promo code HOSTAGE during checkout!

On December 4, 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was kidnapped from his home in Merced, California, and stolen away to an isolated camping ground outside Yosemite National Park. Steven felt scared and alone, held hostage by a stranger hours from home. Neither of them knew, however, that Steven's own grandfather owned the cabin next door.

Parcasters - This week on The Dark Side Of, we move on from Hollywood and start our exploration of the music industry. Our first episode details the myth of the 27 Club, you won't want to miss it! Subscribe to The Dark Side Of on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

From counterfeit goods, to fake love interests, and even major financial fraud, you will find it all in our new show. In this Parcast Original, we examine the swindlers behind the scam, and the victims manipulated by their deceit. In CON ARTISTS you will learn about the art of the hustle, and the ways you can spot a con. 

In this clip, we explore the massive Ponzi scheme orchestrated by fraudster Bernie Madoff. Subscribe to CON ARTISTS on Spotify or wherever you listen to Parcast to listen to the rest of this episode!

On December 8, 1963, Frank Sinatra Jr. was taken hostage just before a performance in Lake Tahoe. His captors expected his famous father to pay any amount in ransom. What they didn't expect was for Sinatra Jr. to be so thrilled by his own kidnapping, he decided to help.

Parcasters - Don’t miss all of our special Summer of ‘69 episodes by subscribing to Parcast Presents: Summer of ‘69, on Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts!

As a journalist, he hoped to get an inside look at Somali piracy. Michael Scott Moore would get more than he bargained for in January 2012 when he was abducted by a criminal gang seeking a large ransom payoff. Beaten, bloodied, and lost in a foreign country, Moore had no choice but to hold on to the slim hope of rescue.

Sponsors!

Away - Go to AwayTravel.com/HOSTAGE and use promo code HOSTAGE at checkout for $20 off a suitcase!

After receiving a research grant, Michael Scott Moore packed his bags for Somalia to dig into the ongoing pirate crisis. The nature of piracy had changed after several high profile abductions brought more international naval attention on the region. The pirates were getting craftier. 

Sponsors!

Native - For 20% off your first purchase, visit NativeDeodorant.com and use promo code HOSTAGE during checkout!

In late February, 1992, the ATF laid siege to Mount Carmel, just outside Waco, Texas. Inside, David Koresh and his followers barricaded themselves, until Koresh finally found a bargaining chip that gave him carte blanche: his own children.

Parcasters - On Unexplained Mysteries we jump into the second half of our exploration of the Shroud of Turin. Leave no stone unturned and tune in to Unexplained Mysteries, available on Spotify or wherever you get your Parcast Originals!

For years, cult leader David Koresh was abusing the young girls in his cult and stockpiling weapons for the apocalyptic war he believed was coming. But in early 1992, just outside Waco, Texas, two events sparked a chain reaction that would result in numerous casualties. 

Parcasters - This week on Unexplained Mysteries we explore the Shroud of Turin, and the faint image of a man that appears on it’s fibers. Is it Jesus Christ? Let’s find out! Available now on Unexplained Mysteries, listen on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.