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Eric Abramovitz plays the shit out of the clarinet. He’s amazing. But you know what’s cool about him? He wants to get better. So a few years ago, he applied to the Colburn Conservatory of Music. He set his sights on a huge scholarship and the life-changing chance to study under one of the best clarinet instructors in the world. A few months later, he was rejected. Or was he?

Then Brandi wraps up her kidnapping spree… (hmm. Poor choice of words?) with the kidnapping of Bobby Greenlease. This one started in 1953, when a panicked woman ran into a prestigious Kansas City private school and told one of the nuns that her sister’d had a heart attack. She needed to take her nephew out of school. The nun obliged, but there was just one problem. The whole story was bullshit.

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“She faked a rejection from her ex-boyfriend’s dream school,” CNN

“A clarinetist’s girlfriend didn’t want him to leave. So she crushed his dreams,” NY Times

“Abramovitz v. Lee,” CanLII.org

“Greenlease Kidnapping” FBI.gov

“The Kidnapping of Bobby Greenlease” The Kansas City Star

“Bonnie Emily Heady” murderpedia.org

Greenleasefamily.com

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When the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory caught fire in 1911, it was the worst workplace fire in New York City’s history. In fact, if it weren’t for September 11th, it would still hold that horrible record. In just 18 minutes, the fire took 146 lives. It was devastating, but it was also preventable. The incident inspired activists and politicians. It also encouraged workers to join unions and fight for their right to a safe work environment. 

Then we discuss the most famous kidnapping in American history — that of baby Charles Lindbergh. Baby Lindbergh was taken from the second story of his family home. The kidnapper left behind a broken ladder and a poorly written ransom note. 

The nearly two year old boy was the son of aviation star Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The distraught parents did everything they could to get their baby back. They paid the ransom and searched high and low for their child. But it was too late… 

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“Rose Freedman, Last Survivor of Triangle Fire, Dies at 107,” New York Times

 Triangle: Remembering The Fire, HBO documentary

 “The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire,” History.com

 “The Triangle Fire of 1911,” by John M Hoenig

 “The 1911 Triangle Factory Fire,” Cornell University

“Hauptmann Trial (1935)” Famous-Trials.com

“Lindbergh Kidnapping” FBI.gov

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This week, we’re covering old timey Kansas City cases. 

Two brothers entered Henry McElroy’s home in the spring of 1933 with a sinister scheme. They wanted to kidnap Henry’s daughter and hold her for ransom. But they were surprised by what they discovered. Henry’s daughter, Mary, wasn’t a child. She was a full grown woman. And she was pretty darn charming, to boot. Weirdly, she found her captors pretty charming, too. This story is as unpredictable as it is intriguing.

Then Kristin tells us about Thomas Swope, who made his fortune buying cheap land in the mid 1800’s, and selling it for a profit as the city grew. In 1896, he donated more than 1,300 acres to be used as Kansas City’s largest park. Toward the end of his life, Thomas toyed with the idea of rewriting his will so that more of his vast fortune would go to charity. But before he could do that, he died. So did his cousin. And later, so did his nephew. In fact, almost everyone in the Swope family became mysteriously ill soon after Thomas’s death. Was someone out to get them? Or did the Swope family just have bad luck?

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“Dr. Hyde and Mr. Swope,” kchistory.org

 “The Mysterious Death of Kansas City’s Thomas Swope,” KCUR.org

 “Thomas Swope: KC True Crime,” Kansas City Star

 “The Evil Dr. Hyde of Kansas City,” historicalcrimedetective.com

“The lady and her kidnappers” by Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News

“RANSOM MARY McELROY” by Stephen C. Haynes and Richard D. Ralls, Kansas City Star

“Mary McElroy, the City Manager’s daughter” by David Arthur Walters

“Kidnapped!” KCHistory.org

“The abduction of Mary McElroy” by Ted Stillwell, The Examiner

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When Rolling Stone published an article about a gang rape at the University of Virginia, people were outraged. Not only had a young woman been assaulted — but her attempts to get meaningful help from university administrators went nowhere. The piece was as beautifully written as it was horrific. But was it accurate?

Then Brandi bums us out with a story that starts with a 12-year-old boy’s call to 911. He told the dispatcher that his brother was attacking the family. Before he could provide more information, the line went dead. Police traced the call, but it was too late to save the family. By the time police arrived, five members of the Bever family were dead and the killers had fled the scene.

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“A Rape on Campus,” Rolling Stone

“‘Catfishing’ over love interest might have spurred U-Va. gang-rape debacle,” Washington Post

 “In Rolling Stone Defamation Case, Magazine and Reporter Ordered to Pay $3 Million,” New York Times

 “Key elements of Rolling Stone’s U-Va gang rape allegations in doubt,” Washington Post

 “Rolling Stone and UVA: The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Report,” Rolling Stone

 … and good old Wikipedia

“One statement captured Bever jury’s challenge: How to compare two very troubled brothers” by Michael Overall, Tulsa World

“Robert Bever breaks down in tears on witness stand in younger brother’s murder trial, says they acted together but ‘in (their) own ways’” by Michael Overall and Samantha Vincent, Tulsa World

“Surviving Bever Sister Testifies In Brother’s Murder Trial” by Lori Fullbright and Taylor Newcomb, newson6.com

“Medical Examiner, DNA Expert Testify In Bever Murder Trial” by Taylor Newcomb, newson6.com

“Crime Scene Investigator Breaks Down During Bever Murder Trial Testimony” by Lori Fullbright, newson6.com

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The Gaming Historian is back, by popular demand! Norman agreed to do another episode with us on one condition: that we talk about food. We agreed. (Let’s face it… we’re in no position to be turning down internet celebrities.)

Brandi starts us off with a finger-lickin’-good story about Burger King’s chicken fries campaign. Everyone loved the commercials. They featured an aggressive, masked band called “Coq Roq.” There was just one issue.  Coq Roq bore a striking resemblance to the actual band Slipknot. Slipknot was not amused, and neither were their fans.

Then Norm tells us about his favorite legal battle of all time. It all started when the Kansas City Royals’ terrifying mascot, Sluggerrr, accidentally hit a fan in the eye with a foil-wrapped hot dog. Hold on tight, folks. This one goes all the way to the Missouri Supreme Court.

Kristin wraps things up with a tale about a group of cattlemen who sued Oprah Winfrey. Initially, it looked like Oprah would lose. The trial would take place in the heart of cattle country. And her jury was all-white. All over town, people proudly displayed bumper stickers that read, “The only mad cow in Amarillo is Oprah.” But if there’s one universal truth in this world, it’s that no one and we mean NO ONE is immune to Oprah Winfrey’s charm. 

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“The time Oprah battled with the Texas beef industry,” The Texas Tribune

 “How the west was won over,” Texas Monthly

“Slipknot’s Burger King Beef” thesmokinggun.com

“The 7 Most Bizarre Fast Food Industry Lawsuits” by Ian Fortey, cracked.com

“Jury clears Royals once again in Sluggerrr hot dog toss that ended badly,“ The Kansas City Star

“Man alleging Sluggerrr hurt his eye with a hot dog gets another chance with Royals lawsuit“ The Kansas City Star

“Testimony is heard a second time in lawsuit involving a Sluggerrr hot dog toss” The Kansas City Star 

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Brandi starts us off with a story that’ll have you giving the side-eye to good looking white guys everywhere. This horrible crime began when a well-dressed, charming man walked into a Los Angeles high school and politely informed the school’s registrar that he needed to speak with a wealthy banker’s daughter. It only took a little persuasion for him to walk out of the school with 12-year-old Marion Parker. Soon, Parker’s family received ransom notes from a man who identified himself as “the fox.” He promised to return the girl alive — as long as the Parkers did as they were told.

Then Kristin tells us about the longest and most expensive criminal trial in American history. It all started when a mother suspected that her toddler had been molested at daycare. Police immediately took action. They sent letters to the hundreds of parents whose children attended the daycare. Police indicated that the children at McMartin Preschool could have witnessed or been victims of a number of traumatic experiences, including child pornography, sodomy, and oral sex. The parents were horrified. A social worker interviewed 400 of the children. In the end, she found that nearly all of them had been abused. But did she really uncover abuse? Or were her interview methods lkjflawed? Had anything actually happened at McMartin Preschool?

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

McMartin Preschool case, famous-trials.com

 “The Longest Trial – A Post-Mortem,” New York Times

 “McMartin Preschool: Anatomy of a Panic,” New York Times (video)

“Aggie and The Fox” by Joan Renner, DerrangedLACrimes.com

“Girl’s Grisly Killing Had City Residents Up in Arms” by Cecilia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times

“The Murder of Marion Parker” by Mark Gribben, murderpedia.org

“Edgar Rice Burroughs Reports on the Notorious 1928 Hickman Trial” erbzine.com

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When Roy Pearson landed a new job as a judge, he knew he’d have to wear suits to work. But his budget was tight — and so were his pants. Rather than buy a new wardrobe, he took all of his dress pants to Custom Cleaners for alterations. But when he came back to the store a while later to pick up his pants, Roy made a shocking discovery. Custom Cleaners had lost his pants! So he did what any logical human would do. He sued them for $67 million.

Then Brandi tells us about the disappearance of nine-year-old Walter Collins. His disappearance had all of Los Angeles speculating. Was he kidnapped? Did he run away? Surely he wasn’t being used for ransom — his parents didn’t have much money. Maybe whoever took him wanted revenge on his incarcerated father. Five months later, police found Walter in Illinois. But when Walter and his mother were reunited, she knew he wasn’t her boy. Police advised her to take him home and “try him out for a couple of weeks,” so she did. The story gets even more odd from there. 

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“Judge in pants lawsuit sues to get job back,” CNN

Pearson v. Chung appellate court decision

“Wearing Down the Judicial System With a Pair of Pants,” Washington Post

 “54 million dollars lawsuit against South Korean dry cleaner over pair of trousers is in full swing,” Associated Press 

“Walter Collins: The Changeling” Joan Renner, DerangedLACrimes.com

“The Boy Who Vanished— and His Imposter” by Cecilia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times

“During the 1920s, Boys Became the Prey of a Brutal Killer” by Cecilia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times

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Conrad Roy committed suicide. That much we can all agree on. But did text messages from his long-distance girlfriend, Michelle Carter play a role in his death? And if so, what sort of punishment — if any — should she face? Michelle egged him on. She encouraged him to take his life. But she wasn’t physically at the scene of his death, and she didn’t purchase any of the equipment he used to take his life. At what point are we culpable for our words? 

Then Kristin tells us the tragic tale of a family fishing trip gone horribly wrong. In 1912, when Lessie and Percy Dunbar took their two boys fishing in Louisiana, 4-year-old Bobby Dunbar went missing. A search ensued. They captured alligators and split open their guts, hoping to find the young boy’s remains. They even blasted the water with dynamite, thinking it might dislodge his corpse. It was no use. He was gone without a trace. But then, eight months later, Bobby turned up. But was it really Bobby?

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“Whose child is this? Lost and found youth claimed by two mothers” The Tacoma Times

 “The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar” This American Life

“Was he Bobby Dunbar?” Associated Press

“Death By Text: The Case Against Michelle Carter” episode, 48 Hours

“Death By Text” by Marin Cogan, thecut.com

“Read the text messages at the heart of the Michelle Carter trial” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston Globe

“Michelle Carter found guilty by judge in text message suicide case” by Dan Glaun, masslive.com

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Kristin kicks things off with the story of tenured Rutgers University ethics professor Anna Stubblefield. A few years ago, Anna began working with a physically and mentally disabled man. Thanks to a mostly discredited technique called facilitated communication, Anna uncovered what no other professional had ever considered — that although DJ’s body was disabled, his mind was not. The two eventually fell in love. 

But were they really in love? And was DJ’s mind truly functioning at a high level? Did facilitated communication give DJ his voice, or was it Anna talking all along?

Then Brandi tells us the story of family annihilator John List. John appeared to have it all — a sprawling mansion, a great job, and a beautiful family. But when John lost his job, he spiraled. Rather than tell his family about their new financial reality, John murdered his wife, his three children, and his mother. John meticulously planned their murders and his escape. He got away with the crimes for 18 years, but John’s luck ran dry when he was featured in an early episode of America’s Most Wanted.

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“The Strange Case of Anna Stubblefield” by Daniel Engber, New York Times Magazine

“The Strange Case of Anna Stubblefield — Revisited” by Daniel Engber, New York Times Magazine

“A Second Chance for Anna Stubblefield,” Slate.com

“John Emil List” murderpedia.org

“1971 Family Killer Breaks Silence” by Austin Goodrich, ABC News

“‘America’s Most Wanted’ Helped Track down This Mass Murderer in 1989” by Matt Gilligan

“I Know That What Has Been Done Is Wrong” New York Times

“Slaying Suspect Saw 2 Choices, Doctor Testifies” by Joseph F. Sullivan, New York Times

“Killer of Family Gets 5 Life Terms” Associated Press, Los Angeles Times

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Brandi starts us off with an absolutely insane pre-trial hearing unlike anything you’ve ever heard of. Denver Fenton Allen’s went a little nuts in his pre-trial hearing. He accused everyone of wanting to “suck his dick.” Then, when it was clear things weren’t going his way, he threatened to murder the judge’s family and mastrubate in open court. The judge didn’t handle it well.    

Then, who could forget the story of astronaut Lisa Nowak? When Lisa’s astronaut boyfriend Billy dumped her for another woman, she — how do we put this mildly? — didn’t take it well. She loaded up her car with trash bags, a knife, a steel mallet and other fun travel accessories, then drove from Houston to Orlando wearing a diaper. Once she got to Orlando, she attacked Billy’s new girlfriend, Colleen Shipman.  For what it’s worth, Lisa denies wearing the diaper. 

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“Astronaut Charged With Attempted Murder,” The New York Times

 “Ex-Astronaut Wants Evidence Tossed Out,” Associated Press

 “Astronaut Love Triangle: Colleen Shipman Says of 2007 Attack by Romantic Rival, ‘I Thought I “Was Going to Be Okay. But It Was Never Okay After That,’” People Magazine

 “Astronaut Love Triangle: Lisa Nowak’s Life 10 Years Later,” People Magazine

 Plus, good ol’ wikipedia

“Proctor calls Floyd County Jail death a homicide” by Doug Walker, Rome News-Tribune

“Cartersville man charged in Floyd County Jail inmate death” by Doug Walker, Rome News-Tribune

“Georgia v. Denver Fenton Allen” transcript of proceedings Fay Frankland

“Judge criticized for vulgar courtroom exchange” by Bill Rankin, Atlanta Journal Constitution

“Man who gained fame for crude “Rick and Morty” courtroom exchange gets life” by Joshua Rhett Miller, New York Post