Menopause is Murder

Marguerite tells us the chilling story of Darya Saltykova, an 18th-century Russian aristocrat whose wealth and privilege concealed unimaginable cruelty. Accused of torturing and murdering dozens of her own serfs, Darya became one of Russia's most notorious female killers. How did she get away with her horrific crimes for so long, and what finally brought her reign of terror to an end? Join us on Menopause is Murder as Marguerite uncovers the disturbing story of the woman known as the Saltychikha.

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Angela shares the story of Amanda Hovanec, an Ohio mother whose bitter custody dispute with her ex-husband, Timothy Hovanec, took a deadly turn. When Timothy arrived to pick up their children, Amanda carried out a chilling plan involving a lethal injection—and surveillance footage captured the horrifying attack. What drove a mother to commit such a calculated crime, and who helped her carry it out? Join Angela and Marguerite on Menopause is Murder as they unravel a disturbing story of obsession, revenge, and murder.

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PART TWOTwo women murdered. Three trunks. One scandal that shocked the nation!Marguerite tells us the story of Winnie Ruth Judd, the infamous “Trunk Murderess” whose 1931 case became one of America's most sensational true crime mysteries. When the dismembered remains of two women were discovered in luggage shipped from Phoenix to Los Angeles, Winnie found herself at the center of a media frenzy filled with jealousy, forbidden romance, shocking accusations, and unanswered questions. But was Winnie a cold-blooded killer, or was there more to the story than the headlines revealed? From a sensational murder trial to an insanity ruling, psychiatric confinement, and daring escapes, this is one twisted tale you won't want to miss! Grab your coffee, settle in, and join us for a little murder, mystery, and menopausal mayhem!

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Two women murdered. Three trunks. One scandal that shocked the nation!Marguerite tells us the story of Winnie Ruth Judd, the infamous “Trunk Murderess” whose 1931 case became one of America's most sensational true crime mysteries. When the dismembered remains of two women were discovered in luggage shipped from Phoenix to Los Angeles, Winnie found herself at the center of a media frenzy filled with jealousy, forbidden romance, shocking accusations, and unanswered questions. But was Winnie a cold-blooded killer, or was there more to the story than the headlines revealed? From a sensational murder trial to an insanity ruling, psychiatric confinement, and daring escapes, this is one twisted tale you won't want to miss! Grab your coffee, settle in, and join us for a little murder, mystery, and menopausal mayhem!

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/menopause-is-murder--6789914/support.

Angela tells us about Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a Canadian nurse who became one of the country’s most prolific serial killers. For years, Wettlaufer worked in nursing homes and home-care settings, where she used her access to insulin to deliberately harm the vulnerable patients entrusted to her care. Eight people died and six others survived her attacks, yet no investigation uncovered what was happening. In fact, Wettlaufer repeatedly confessed or hinted at her crimes to people in her life—and still continued working as a nurse. Ultimately, she wasn’t caught because police connected the deaths or because the healthcare system discovered a suspicious pattern. She confessed. Angela follows Wettlaufer’s story from her childhood and troubled nursing career through the murders, the shocking missed warning signs, her eventual confession, guilty pleas, and the massive public inquiry that asked the question everyone wanted answered: How could a nurse murder patients for years without anyone realizing what she was doing?

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Marguerite shares the story of Jeanne de Clisson, the 14th-century noblewoman who traded castle walls for the open sea—and became known as the Lioness of Brittany. After her husband, Olivier de Clisson, was accused of treason and executed by order of King Philip VI of France, Jeanne was determined to make the French crown pay. According to the legend that grew around her, she sold her estates, raised an army, and eventually took her revenge to the sea with a fleet of ships said to have been painted black with blood-red sails. For years, Jeanne hunted French vessels, earning a terrifying reputation for showing little mercy to their crews. But behind the swashbuckling stories of the Black Fleet is a fascinating medieval tale where documented history and legend sometimes collide. Marguerite takes us back to the Hundred Years’ War to uncover the story of a wife, mother, noblewoman, warrior, and alleged pirate who turned grief into vengeance—and became one of history’s most notorious women of the sea.

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Angela tells us about Stephanie Lazarus, a respected LAPD detective who spent more than two decades hiding a deadly secret in plain sight. In 1986, newlywed nursing director Sherri Rasmussen was found brutally beaten and shot to death inside her Los Angeles home, and investigators initially blamed a burglary gone wrong. But Sherri’s family suspected there was much more to the story—especially after learning about the woman from her husband John’s past who just happened to be a police officer. The case went cold for 23 years until DNA from a bite mark led investigators straight to one of their own. Angela takes us through Stephanie’s obsession with John, her confrontations with Sherri, the shocking failures of the original investigation, the cold-case breakthrough, and the stunning admissions she finally made decades later. This is a story of jealousy, betrayal, a badge, a bite, and a killer hiding where no one thought to look: inside the LAPD.


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In this episode of Menopause is Murder, Marguerite takes us back to Civil War-era Texas for the haunting and controversial story of Josefa “Chipita” Rodríguez. In 1863, Chipita was accused of murdering traveler John Savage after his body was discovered stuffed inside a burlap sack in the Nueces River. Prosecutors claimed robbery was the motive—but the money Savage was carrying was reportedly recovered, and the evidence against Chipita was largely circumstantial. Despite a jury recommending mercy, she was sentenced to hang after a trial riddled with troubling irregularities. Marguerite explores the facts, the legends, and even the ghost stories surrounding one of Texas history’s most fascinating and tragic women.

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Join us this week as Angela shares the story of Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina whose whirlwind romance with businessman Doug Benefield seemed almost too good to be true—and ultimately ended in bloodshed. They met at a political event, said “I love you” within days, and married just 13 days after meeting. Together, they launched the ambitious American National Ballet, but as the company unraveled, so did their marriage. Allegations of abuse, bitter custody battles, restraining orders, and years of courtroom drama followed. Then, on September 27, 2020, Ashley shot Doug inside her mother’s Florida home, claiming she feared for her life. Was Ashley a battered woman who finally fought back, or did she use allegations of abuse to gain control of their daughter? Dubbed the “Black Swan Murder Trial,” the case would eventually put Ashley before a jury and leave them to decide whether Doug’s death was self-defense—or something far more sinister.

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In this episode of Menopause is Murder, Marguerite takes us to 19th-century Leiden, Netherlands, for the chilling story of Maria “Marie” Swanenburg, better known as Goeie Mie—“Good Mie.” A seemingly helpful neighbor who cared for the sick and elderly, Marie earned the trust of those around her while hiding a deadly secret. Behind her reputation for kindness was a calculated poisoner who used arsenic to sicken and kill, often collecting insurance money after her victims died. With an astonishing number of suspected victims—including members of her own family—Marie became one of the Netherlands’ most notorious serial killers. Marguerite unravels how “Good Mie” went from trusted caregiver to suspected mass murderer, how authorities finally caught on, and why her crimes still fascinate true-crime history more than a century later. Grab your coffee—or something stronger—because Marguerite has one poisonous tale to tell.


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