Never Light Up A Room Podcast

On October 12th, 1974, Arlis Perry would get into an argument with her husband Bruce Perry and decided to go pray at the Stanford Memorial Church where they lived on the Stanford University Campus. Bruce would head home and wait for Arlis but after a few hours he would report her missing.

Sources:

Vanapalli, Viswa, “Arlis Perry’s Murder: Did Stephen Crawford Kill Her? How Did He Die?”, The Cinemaholic, May 5, 2021, https://thecinemaholic.com/arlis-perrys-murder-did-stephen-crawford-kill-her-how-did-he-die/, Accessed November 23rd, 2025

Stephanie, “Arlis Perry Autopsy & Cause of Death: The Full Story” Murder in the Black, December 22, 2024, https://murderintheblack.com/arlis-perry-autopsy-cause-of-death.html, Accessed November 23rd, 2025

Nucleus, “Arlis Perry. The Santa Clara County Murder Case”, The True Crime Data Base, June 28th 2019, https://www.thetruecrimedatabase.com/case_file/arlis-perry/, Accessed November 23rd, 2025

Kabra, Prathamesh. “The Church Was Locked. Arlis Was Still Inside”, Thar Tribune, April 21, 2025, https://thartribune.com/the-church-was-locked-arlis-was-still-inside/, Accessed November 23rd, 2025

On Sept 15, 2006, Brian Barrett was gunned down in his vehicle outside of his work. Investigators soon uncovered that Brian had been mixed up in a messy love triangle where not everyone was who they said they were... 

Sources: 

Hawkins, Kristal, “Thomas Montgomery: Bizarre Love Triangle”, CrimeLibrary.org, https://crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/classics/tommy_montgomery/1.html, accessed Nov 14, 2025. 

Nye, James, “Tragic online love triangle built on LIES: Two middle-aged lovers who started affair by BOTH posing as teenagers... before torrid romance drove Sunday school teacher to murder 'rival' over woman who didn't EXIST”, DailyMail.co.uk, June 23, 2012, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163757/Tall-hot-blonde-internet-love-triangle-left-man-shot-dead-jealous-rival.html, accessed Nov 14, 2025. 

Associated Press, “22-Year-Old New York Man Murdered After Being Drawn Into Internet Love Triangle”, Fox News, Jan 21, 2007, https://www.foxnews.com/story/22-year-old-new-york-man-murdered-after-being-drawn-into-internet-love-triangle?msockid=0d8801d76c916818274f140b6d25699a, accessed Nov 14, 2025.  

“Brian Michael Barrett”, FindAGrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94321154/brian_michael-barrett, accessed Nov 14, 2025. 

ABC News, “Cyber Love Triangle Fuels Murder”, ABC News, Mar 19, 2010, https://abcnews.go.com/2020/cyber-love-triangle-fuels-murder/story?id=10135540, accessed Nov 14, 2025.  

The Associated Press, “Web user sentenced for killing online rival”, CBC, Nov 28, 2007, https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/web-user-sentenced-for-killing-online-rival-1.636158, accessed Nov 14, 2025. 

“Thomas Montgomery”, I Can’t Believe It’s Non Fiction!, Sept 25, 2018, https://icantbelieveitsnonfiction.com/2018/09/25/thomas-montgomery/, accessed Nov 14, 2025.  

On October 22nd, 2014, 24-year-old Corporal Nathan Cirillo was a ceremonial guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario. This day shaped the nation forever as a man by the name of Michael Zehaf- Bibeau would grab his rifle and approach the War Memorial and proceeded to open fire on Corporal Nathan Cirillo and his friend and fellow guard Branden Stevenson. After the shooting, Michael Zehaf- Bibeau would flee the scene and head towards the Parliament Building with his rife.

Sources:

“ Corporal Nathan Frank Cirillo”, Government of Canada, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/80004112, Accessed November 9th, 2025

Rehman, Mishall, “Remembering Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and WO Patrice Vincent”, Canadian Military Family Magazine, November 11, 2024, https://www.cmfmag.ca/remember/remembering-cpl-nathan-cirillo-and-wo-patrice-vincent-2/, Accessed November 9th, 2025

Kupfer, Matthew, “10 years later, the bystanders who rushed to a fallen soldier's aid and the tragedy that changed them”, CBC, October 22, 2024, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-shooting-war-memorial-decade-1.7358162, Accessed November 9th, 2025

Botelho, Greg, “Canadian shooting victim remembered for big smile, big heart”, CNN World, October 23, 2014, https://www.cnn.com/2014/10/22/world/canada-shootings-victim/, Accessed November 9th, 2025

Jaimet, Kate, “Parliament Hill Attack” The Canadian Encyclopedia, January 30th 2015, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/parliament-hill-attack, Accessed November 9th, 2025

Rehman, Mishall, “Standing on Guard: National Sentry Program”, Canadian Military Family Magazine, September 28th, 2023, https://www.cmfmag.ca/duty_calls/standing-on-guard-national-sentry-program/, Accessed November 9th, 2025

“The Response, National War Memorial” Government of Canada, https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/art-monuments/monuments/response.html, Accessed November 9th, 2025

“Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” Government of Canada, https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/art-monuments/monuments/tomb-unknown-soldier.html, Accessed November 9th, 2025

 On December 4th, 1998, 21-year-old Yale student, Suzanne Jovin spent the evening hosting an event for the volunteer organization, Best Buddies. Following this event, Suzanne returned a vehicle she had borrowed from Yale for the event, but when she realized that she had forgotten to return the keys with the vehicle, she set out to return them. She may have also been planning to meet up with someone she had lent study materials to. Tragically, around 10PM that night, Suzanne’s body was found, stabbed 17 times, and had her throat cut. Investigators chased leads, but tragically, Suzanne’s case remains unsolved as of Nov 2025.     

If you have information about Suzanne’s murder, please contact the Jovin investigation Team at 1-866-623-8058 or [email protected].   

Sources: 

“Suzanne Jovin”, Crime Immemorial, https://crimeimmemorial.com/2022/09/27/suzanne-jovin/, accessed Nov 1, 2025.   

Ricapito, Maria, “Cold Case of the Week: The 1998 Murder of Yale Student Suzanne Jovin”, A&E, Sept 24, 2025, https://www.aetv.com/articles/cold-case-of-the-week-the-1998-murder-of-yale-student-suzanne-jovin, accessed Nov 1, 2025.   

Boyd, Rachel, “Nine Years Later, Murder of Yale Senior Still Unsolved”, Yale Daily News Historical Archive, Dec 7, 2007, https://ydnhistorical.library.yale.edu/?a=d&d=YDN20071212-01.2.11&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------false, accessed Nov 1, 2025.   

Karmin, Hannah, “New Leads In A Cold Case”, Yale Alumni Magazine, Sept/Oct 2008, https://yalealumnimagazine.org/articles/2184-new-leads-in-a-cold-case, accessed Nov 1, 2025.   

“Suzanne Jovin Homicide Investigation”, CT.GOV, June 18, 2024, https://portal.ct.gov/dcj/knowledge-base/articles/cold-cases/suzanne-jovin-homicide-investigation?language=en_US, accessed Nov 1, 2025.   

We're back with our twentieth Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases we covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peek at what is coming up in the next month. If we know!

References: 

Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice, “Animals in the Salem Witch Trials”, History of Massachusetts Blog, Feb 20, 2012, https://historyofmassachusetts.org/animals-in-the-salem-witch-trials/, accessed Oct 31, 2025.  

Cavallier, Andrea, “‘The act of someone who was enraged at her’: Medical experts slam newest Ellen Greenberg suicide report”, Independent, Oct 14, 2025,  
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/ellen-greenberg-death-suicide-ruling-b2845361.html, accessed Oct 31, 2025. 

Zelazko, Alicja, “What Was Stolen from the Louvre?” Britannica, October 29th 2025, https://www.britannica.com/art/What-Was-Stolen-from-the-Louvre, Accessed October 31st, 2025 

The Canadian Press, “A timeline of the jewel heist at the Louvre in Paris” Yahoo News, https://ca.news.yahoo.com/timeline-jewel-heist-louvre-paris-132419701.html, Accessed October 31st, 2025  

On October 31st, 1984, Doreen Erbert would return home from taking her 4-year-old daughter Trick or Treating. Her husband Charles would head out to a liquor and shortly after he left, there would be a knock on the door. Doreen would answer the door expecting more Trick or Treaters, but little did she know that whoever was on the other side of the door had ulterior motives. 

Sources: 

Smith, Benjamin, “Man In Wolf Mask Hacks Pregnant Ex-Wife To Death With Machete On Halloween Night’, Oxygen True Crime, October 27th 2019, https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-news/michael-dennis-kills-ex-wife-doreen-erbert-wolf-mask-halloween, Accessed October 26th, 2025 

Vanapalli, Viswa, “Doreen Erbert Murder: Where is Mike Dennis Now?” The Cinemaholic, October 30, 2021, https://thecinemaholic.com/doreen-erbert-murder-where-is-mike-dennis-now/, Accessed October 26th, 2025  

Vanapalli, Viswa, “Where Are Deanna and Charles Erbert Now?”, The Cinemaholic, October 30, 2021, https://thecinemaholic.com/where-are-deanna-and-charles-erbert-now/, Accessed October 26th, 2025 

Sederstrom, Jill, “Pregnant Mom Killed With Machete After Answering Door on Halloween Night”, Oxygen True Crime, October 17th, 2023, https://www.oxygen.com/homicide-for-the-holidays/crime-news/doreen-ebert-murder-daughter-william-michael-dennis-san-jose, Accessed October 26th, 2025 

“Doreen Erbert: A Halloween Slaying in San Jose” National Crime Scene Cleanup, September 18, 2023, https://www.crimescenecleanup.com/doreen-erberts-murder/, Accessed October 26th, 2025  

This week we are covering the Salem Witch Trials. In the spring of 1692, several girls in Salem Village began experiencing “fits” and were diagnosed with “bewitchment”. This led to the real-life witch hunt to find the people responsible for afflicting the young girls. Over several months, more young women and girls began exhibiting similar symptoms and having similar fits. Between 1692 and 1693, over 200 people were accused of witchcraft, between 140 and 150 people were arrested, and 20 people were executed. 

Sources: 

“The Salem Witch Trials Memorial”, SalemWitchMuseum.com, https://salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/witch-trials-memorial/, accessed Oct 19, 2025. 

Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice, “Gallows Hill in Salem, Massachusetts”, History of Massachusetts Blog, Oct 20, 2012, https://historyofmassachusetts.org/where-is-the-real-gallows-hill/, accessed Oct 19, 2025. 

History.com Editors, “Salem Witch Trials”, History.com, Nov 4, 2011, https://www.history.com/articles/salem-witch-trials, accessed Oct 19, 2025.  

Wallenfeldt, Jeff, “The Trials”, Britannica.com, July 20, 1998, https://www.britannica.com/event/Salem-witch-trials/The-trials, accessed Oct 19, 2025. 

Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice, “The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They?”, History of Massachusetts Blog, Aug 19, 2015, https://historyofmassachusetts.org/salem-witch-trials-victims/, accessed Oct 19, 2025. 

Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice, “The Witchcraft Trial of Giles Corey”, History of Massachusetts Blog, Oct 12, 2011, https://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-curse-of-giles-corey/, accessed Oct 19, 2025. 

Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice, “The Witchcraft Trial of Sarah Good”, History of Massachusetts Blog, Oct 20, 2011, https://historyofmassachusetts.org/sarah-good-accused-witch/, accessed Oct 19, 2025. 

On November 15th 2006 Abraham Shakespeare would purchase 2 lottery tickets with one of them netting him 30 million dollars. With life as he knew it now flipped upside down, Abraham would be very generous with his winnings which would lead him to form a relationship that would eventually lead to his death.  

Sources: 

Dziemianowicz, Joe, “‘Calculating' Florida Woman Manipulated, Then Killed Generous Lottery Millionaire” Oxygen True Crime, Feb 18, 2023, https://www.oxygen.com/floribama-murders/crime-news/lottery-winner-abraham-shakespeare-shot-dead-by-dee-dee-moore, Accessed October 13th 2025 

Mitra, Shraman, “Abraham Shakespeare Murder: How Did He Die? Who Killed Him?” The Cinemaholic, January 19, 2023, https://thecinemaholic.com/abraham-shakespeare-murder-how-did-he-die-who-killed-him/, Accessed October 13th 2025 

“Dorice Donegan Moore”, Murderpedia, https://murderpedia.org/female.M/m/moore-dorice.htm, Accessed October 13th 2025 

Shrestha, Naman, “Abraham Shakespeare Murder Details and Investigation Timeline” Moviedelic, April 18, 2025, https://moviedelic.com/abraham-shakespeare/, Accessed October 13th 2025  

 In July of 2012, a routine inspection of the Saint-Louis-De-Blandford strategic maple syrup reserve in Quebec, Canada was being conducted. During the inspection, it was found that some of the barrels that should have been filled with sticky, sweet, maple syrup were empty and other barrels had been refilled with water. Upon further investigation it was discovered that over months, thieves had been stealing millions of dollars' worth of maple syrup. The crime later became known as the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist. 

Sources: 

Waxman, Olivia B., “What to Know About the Real Canadian Maple Syrup Heist That Inspired The Sticky”, Time, Dec 6, 2024, https://time.com/7200222/maple-syrup-heist-the-sticky-amazon/, accessed Oct 3, 2025. 

Noakes, Taylor C., “Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist”, The Canadian Encyclopedia, Mar 28, 2022, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/great-canadian-maple-syrup-heist, accessed Oct 3, 2025. 

Lyon, Rivy, “ The Great Maple Syrup Heist: How A Ragtag Group Of Thieves In Canada Stole $18 Million Worth Of Maple Syrup”, AllThatsInteresting.com, July 2, 2025, https://allthatsinteresting.com/great-canadian-maple-syrup-heist, accessed Oct 3, 2025. 

Tisdale, Jennifer, “Richard Vallières Was Behind the 2012 Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist — Where Is He Now?”, Distractify, Dec 5, 2024, https://www.distractify.com/p/richard-vallieres-now, accessed Oct 3, 2025. 

“Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist”, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Canadian_Maple_Syrup_Heist, accessed Oct 3, 2025. 

"The Maple Syrup Heist." Dirty Money, directed by Brian McGinn, season 1, episode 5, Jigsaw Productions, 2018, Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/80118100 

On May 28th, 1998 in his Los Angeles home, Comedian Phil Hartman would be gunned down in his bed while he slept. Phil was known for his work on the very popular Saturday Night Live and the Simpson shows.  

References:  

Kuroski, John, “How Did Phil Hartman Die? Inside His Murder At The Hands Of His Wife”, All Thats Interesting, February 4,2024, https://allthatsinteresting.com/phil-hartman-death, Accessed September 28th, 2025 

Eidell, Lynsey, “How Did Phil Hartman Die? What to Know About the Beloved Comedian's Shocking Murder in 1998”, People, Updated May 28th 2025, https://people.com/phil-hartman-death-what-to-know-8654461, Accessed September 28th, 2025 

“Phil Hartman”. Biographs, https://biographs.org/phil-hartman, Accessed September 28th, 2025