Killer Destinations

In 1999, a 911 call came into the Craig Co., Oklahoma Sheriff's Dept. - the Freeman family's mobile home was on fire. Found in the burning rubble were parents Danny and Kathy Freeman. But their 16-year-old daughter Ashley, and her best friend Lauria Bible, vanished. Despite intensive searches, the two teenage girls were never found. It would take authorities decades to learn what likely happened to them, because in this case fear and intimidation trumped justice.

In 2013, southern California residents were scared. The Los Angeles PD was scouring the region for a suspect who was targeting members of law enforcement and their families. For more than a week he eluded authorities, popping up in a different county every day or so. And you never knew where he would strike again. It took the largest manhunt in southern California's history to bring an end to his reign of terror. 

On March 8, 1924, the Louisville Police Department received a report of a man who had been shot in an upscale neighborhood. Following these early 20th century detectives as they navigated the intricate plot twists and myriad of characters could make anyone involved in this case believe they were living the real-life version of a classic film noir movie.

In 2015, a decorated police lieutenant radioed that he was pursuing 3 suspects and requested backup. Arriving officers called dispatch just a few minutes later and said the two most dreaded words: officer down. A huge manhunt was formed to find the suspects, but somehow, they eluded police. It would take two months before police announced the person responsible. And it sent shockwaves through the community.

The Reverend Jim Jones grew from an impoverished, lonely child in Indiana to the dynamic and charismatic leader of his own religious movement. His dream of creating a socialist utopia for his followers became a reality when he built a compound in Guyana. But all was not as joyful as it seemed. When the truth was finally revealed, the shock of Rev. Jones’ end game reverberated across the nation and the world.

In 1989, Victoria Cushman had been secretly seeing a married police detective who she believed was going to leave his family so they could be together. Before he could do that, her lifeless body was found on her apartment floor. From the start, there were rumors of a cover up by higher ups at the police department after it turned out her married lover lied about their relationship. It took years, but the perpetrator finally heard the cell doors slam shut.

In 1984, the body of nine-year-old Dawn Hamilton was found in the woods behind her apartment building. Two young boys helped police come up with a composite sketch, leading to the arrest and conviction of Kirk Bloodsworth. He was sentenced to death row. After years of maintaining his innocence, DNA testing gave him the chance to prove he didn't harm Dawn. Or did it prove his guilt instead?

Anyone who remembers the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London will recognize the nickname the Blade Runner. It was given to South African Oscar Pistorius, who was the first amputee to compete in an Olympic Games and did so on legs made of carbon fiber. The golden glow of the Olympics soon lost its luster when five months later a call came in to emergency services. Oscar had mistaken his girlfriend for an intruder and accidentally ended her life. Was it an accident? Or was it intentional? 

Y'all, this one is a special episode because we recorded it last week LIVE in Chattanooga, Tennessee! Chattanooga is a such a cool city and we met so many amazing people. And while this episode doesn't take place in Chattanooga, it happened just a couple of hours northwest. It took almost a decade to find out what happened, and what sealed the fate of the accused came from a very unlikely source. 

In 1985, a husband and father on assignment more than 500 miles away from home received a devastating phone call. He rushed home to find his wife and two of his three children gone forever. The only thing his 22-month-old daughter could tell them was they needed to hide from the burglar.